SANTA CLARA — The 49ers’ primary objective of getting to another Super Bowl and winning it is clear enough.
That’s not happening unless they meet one of their secondary objectives, and that’s to keep Christian McCaffrey at something approaching peak form for another full season.
If anything was clear from the 49ers’ second training camp practice Thursday, it’s that McCaffrey isn’t easing off the gas. And that’s after an offseason where he could be forgiven for some leisure time given his marriage to former Miss Universe Olivia Culpo as well as a two-year contract extension that will pay him $19 million per season.
“One of the busier offseasons I’ve had,” McCaffrey said. “Still have got to keep the main thing the main thing and be focused. Even though there are a lot of good things, I’ve got to stay training, get ready to go. While it might look like a lot happened — and it did — I try to keep it as consistent as possible to the off-seasons I’ve had.”
Let it be said the 49ers have their priorities in order. Setting things right for McCaffrey financially after all he’s given them was Job 1, and that includes the ongoing financial sagas of Trent Williams and Brandon Aiyuk.
Christian McCaffrey (23) celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the NFC Championship game against the Detroit Lions. Getty Images
The contract issue kept McCaffrey away during some team activities, and given his immersion in the 49ers’ offense for the first full season last year, those reps weren’t necessary anyway. And based on visual evidence Thursday, McCaffrey, 28, is still setting a torrid pace that few can match.
Last year’s NFL Offensive Player of the Year, McCaffrey led the NFL in rushing with 1,459 yards on 272 carries, caught 67 passes for 564 more and his 2,003 yards from scrimmage also led the league as did his 21 touchdowns (14 rushing, seven receiving).
Which is why the 49ers didn’t flinch in terms of throwing extra money McCaffrey’s way even though he was already the NFL’s top-paid running back. Other than quarterback Brock Purdy, McCaffrey is the player the 49ers can least afford to lose if they aspire to a sixth Lombardi Trophy. Yes, that includes holdout Williams and hold-in Aiyuk.
He is the favorite toy of head coach/offensive innovator Kyle Shanahan, the primary running-receiving satellite in the orbit of Purdy at quarterback.
Shanahan admitted he had a hard time taking McCaffrey off the field last season even though there were capable replacements on a series-by-series basis in Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason.
“We have to protect Christian from himself,” Shanahan said in June. “He doesn’t like to come out no matter what the situation is and I do think that’s something we could protect him with more.”
Specifically, Shanahan was talking about the punishing runs between the tackles that McCaffrey relishes especially with the goal line in sight. And if anything, the opening series fumble against the Chiefs in the Super Bowl loss will only make McCaffrey more determined. If that’s even possible.
It’s not McCaffrey’s nature to take offense to a question, but it’s clear he has zero interest in scaling back in 2024 after an NFL-high 339 touches last season.
“I put my body, mind and soul into playing every snap and the coaches have got to be coaches, whatever they think is best,” McCaffrey said. “But for me, I prepare to play every snap so I’m ready to go.”
McCaffrey is one of the key veterans Shanahan will have on a camp schedule to make sure he isn’t overworked. At the first practice Wednesday, McCaffrey went through warmups and drills, then sat out offense vs. defense sessions.
Shanahan and McCaffrey are kindred spirits in that both believe the best way to be good at football is to practice football. Practice and prepare, and do it obsessively.
Shanahan turned McCaffrey loose Thursday and predictably, it was as if he were shot out of a cannon.
“It was good to be back,” McCaffrey said. “I think it’s probably smart to ease into things a little bit these first few days and kind of get going. But it’s important to get my eyes right, get the timing right, just get more comfortable. You have to get these reps. It’s important.”
McCaffrey doesn’t look at his livelihood as a season-by-season existence. It consumes him on a how-many-hours-are-in-a-day basis.
“It’s not a year or a week thing, it’s a day-by-day thing,” McCaffrey said. “Getting reps is so important because that’s when you can really perfect your game. When you’re out for a long time you can miss those. Training your eyes, getting the timing right, the sequencing down, is something you’ve got to do every day.”
The 49ers’ success has brought with it cash and salary cap concerns, one of the byproducts of a talented roster. They lost Arik Armstead when he wouldn’t take a pay cut. Pro Bowl fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who knows full well there isn’t another team in the league that uses his position the way the 49ers do, reluctantly accepted one.
Aiyuk and Williams are still waiting, and the 49ers were correct in getting McCaffrey’s situation resolved first and foremost.
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“There’s never an obvious right way or wrong way,” Shanahan said. “You try and figure out the best way. A lot of stuff goes into that. And to be able to get Christian here, with what he’s done in the last couple of years and what we plan on him doing for the next few years, we’re really excited to get that done and felt great about it.”
After some injury issues in Carolina, McCaffrey has missed only last season’s meaningless regular-season finale. He has been a 49er for 33 games including the playoffs and scored 39 touchdowns. As much as NFL teams sign players for the future as opposed to the past, that kind of off-the-charts production warranted an adjustment before anything else.
As for the 2024 season, the battle Shanahan wages in his mind to bring himself to take the NFL’s most versatile weapon off the field on occasion and get McCaffrey to the finish line will determine whether the 49ers can actually get to another Super Bowl and win it.