Final 12 months’s Offensive Participant of the 12 months simply hasn’t been the identical in 2024 up to now, however Kyle Shanahan believes it’s ‘unfair’ to anticipate a lot out of Christian McCaffrey after spending so lengthy on the sideline.
Sluggish Begin For McCaffrey
Christian McCaffrey was definitely the most effective non-quarterback within the NFL final 12 months however after being identified with tendinitis in the summertime, the operating again started an extended highway to restoration forward of 2024.
After spending weeks on finish receiving remedy on each of his calves, McCaffrey lastly made his season debut for the Niners in week 10 in opposition to the Seahawks.
However final 12 months’s Offensive Participant of the 12 months hasn’t been his common driving pressure since returning and his output is a mere fraction of the numbers he was placing up final 12 months.
McCaffrey missed out on a lot whereas sidelined that it comes as no shock he has endured a gradual begin to his marketing campaign, however Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan believes expectations have been set too excessive.
“The hypothesis on Christian, I feel, is slightly bit unfair to him,” Shanahan mentioned. “Christian’s enjoying very properly, he’s enjoying his ass off. However to assume a man who misses a complete offseason is simply going to be the very same the day he will get again could be unfair to any participant on this planet, I really feel like.”
Kyle Shanahan says it’s an “unrealistic expectation” to assume Christian McCaffrey ought to be enjoying on the similar stage as he did final season#49ers pic.twitter.com/Wod9e2wbqs
— Kevin Krueger (@kevinkruegs) November 27, 2024
The operating again managed simply 31 dashing yards in week 12, which was his lowest recorded determine since becoming a member of the 49ers and his worst afternoon since week 4 in 2022.
“So, I feel Christian’s doing a hell of a job.” Shanahan continued, “however to simply assume him coming again in Week 8 with not having the ability to do something for the final 9 months or no matter it’s, and to assume he’s simply going to be in MVP type is a really unrealistic expectation.”
San Francisco face Buffalo in Monday night time soccer this week as McCaffrey continues his comeback, nonetheless in search of his first landing of the 12 months.