MINNEAPOLIS — The San Francisco 49ers positioned star operating again Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve with calf soreness and Achilles tendinitis, the group introduced Saturday.
McCaffrey should miss at the least the subsequent 4 video games — together with Sunday’s matchup with the Minnesota Vikings — and is eligible to return for an Oct. 10 assembly with the Seattle Seahawks on “Thursday Evening Soccer,” although that is not a assure.
On Friday, San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged for the primary time since initially asserting McCaffrey’s harm on Aug. 6 that injured reserve was an actual risk. That got here after McCaffrey’s Achilles didn’t reply nicely to restricted participation in follow Thursday.
“Yesterday was his worst day,” Shanahan mentioned. “It is on and off, however with yesterday having essentially the most ache. It is one thing we’ll be discussing collectively within the subsequent 24 hours.”
These discussions finally led to Saturday’s resolution to close McCaffrey down in hopes that the continued flare-ups within the Achilles will calm down. Shanahan has mentioned the toughest a part of McCaffrey’s harm has been its unpredictability, with the operating again feeling good and working towards some days after which feeling ache on others.
Touchdown on injured reserve is undoubtedly a disappointment for McCaffrey, the NFL’s reigning Offensive Participant of the 12 months. As lately as Wednesday, he mentioned he deliberate to play towards the Vikings, explaining that his mindset each week is that he’s going to be able to go even when he’s coping with an harm.
“I hate not enjoying,” McCaffrey mentioned Wednesday. “However I have a look at it as a chess transfer and one thing that hopefully you possibly can profit from the remainder of the season.”
This IR stint is McCaffrey’s first since becoming a member of the 49ers by way of commerce in October 2022. Together with the postseason, McCaffrey had missed solely one among 33 potential video games over the earlier two seasons, with the lone miss being a meaningless Week 18 sport towards the Los Angeles Rams by which McCaffrey was coping with a calf harm however each groups have been resting starters anyway.
Earlier than arriving in San Francisco, McCaffrey had struggled with accidents as a member of the Carolina Panthers. In 2020 and 2021, McCaffrey performed in a mixed 10 video games, lacking video games due to a excessive proper ankle sprain, an AC joint sprain in his shoulder, a strained glute and hamstring, and a left ankle sprain.
With McCaffrey out, Jordan Mason will deal with the first operating again duties after making the primary begin of his profession final week towards the New York Jets. Mason completed with 28 carries for 147 yards, each profession highs, and scored a landing. It was essentially the most carries in a regular-season sport by a Niners participant since Shanahan took over in 2017 and essentially the most in a 49ers season opener in franchise historical past.
In opposition to the Jets, the Niners used huge receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. as Mason’s most important backup. He had eight carries for 23 yards and a landing. Different operating again choices for the 49ers embody rookie Isaac Guerendo and fourth-year veteran Patrick Taylor Jr. on the energetic roster and fifth-year veteran Ke’Shawn Vaughn on the follow squad.
The 49ers have but to switch McCaffrey’s spot on the 53-man roster.
