SANTA CLARA — On Sunday, Christian McCaffrey calmed the nerves of 49ers fans by returning to the practice field. The All-Pro participated in team drills for the first time since Aug. 8 after dealing with “tightness.” McCaffrey shared that his absence was a schedule of sorts in preparation for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season.
“Obviously when you don’t practice, the way the media works now, is a firestorm,” McCaffrey said. “This was kind of part of the plan from the jump — to ramp up pretty big, get nine or 10 practices in, kind of come back down and then ramp up again so we’re fresh for the duration.
“Our staff has done a great job of coming up with specific plans, and I feel great. I feel fresh and it’s great to get back out there.”
McCaffrey understands the questions from those outside of team headquarters, especially after missing all but four games in 2024 due to bilateral Achilles tendinitis and a subsequent injury to the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) in his knee.
The star ball-carrier bounced back to play in all 17 regular-season games in...