Kyle Shanahan did not leave much room for interpretation when he addressed Christian McCaffrey’s workload.
In comments relayed by ESPN’s Nick Wagoner on March 30, the San Francisco 49ers coach made clear he does not want McCaffrey handling that kind of volume again after a career-high 413 touches in 2025, adding that San Francisco has “got to get someone to help him.”
That is what makes this more than a routine offseason quote. Shanahan was not questioning whether McCaffrey is still one of the best offensive players in football. He was acknowledging that the 49ers have to start thinking harder about how much they can reasonably ask from him.
And that is a significant offseason clue for a team still built around him.
Christian McCaffrey’s 2025 Workload Was Massive
The numbers make Shanahan’s concern easy to understand.
McCaffrey just finished one of the heaviest-use seasons of his career and one of the best all-around years by any running back in the league. He led the NFL with 413 touches, finished with 2,126 scrimmage yards and scored 17 total touchdowns. He was not just productive on the ground, either. McCaffrey also caught 102 passes for 924 yards, reinforcing how central he remains to everything the 49ers want to do offensively.
That is part of the challenge for Shanahan.
It is hard to reduce McCaffrey’s workload because his impact reaches far beyond handoffs. He affects the run game, the screen game, the passing game and the way defenses line up before the snap. Even when the ball is not going to him, he changes the structure of the offense.
That is why Shanahan’s comments matter. The 49ers do not want less of McCaffrey because he has declined. They want to avoid putting another overwhelming burden on a player they still need to be great in January.
Why the 49ers Have to Think Bigger Than Just One Season
There is another reason Shanahan’s comments land harder than a normal spring talking point.
McCaffrey’s huge 2025 season came right after a rough 2024 campaign in which injuries disrupted nearly the entire year. He bounced back in a major way, played at an All-Pro level again and reminded everyone why he remains one of the league’s most valuable offensive players.
But that comeback also sharpens the question facing San Francisco now.
The 49ers do not just need McCaffrey to deliver elite production in September and October. They need him healthy and explosive over the full season, and ideally into the postseason. That makes workload management feel less like a luxury and more like a necessity.
In other words, Shanahan’s message was not about taking something away from McCaffrey. It was about preserving one of the few players on the roster who can change an entire game plan by himself.
What ‘Help’ for McCaffrey Could Actually Look Like
The obvious follow-up is what kind of help Shanahan has in mind.
One possibility is that the answer comes from within. San Francisco can take a longer look at the younger backs on the roster and see whether one of them can earn enough trust to take on more regular work behind McCaffrey. If that happens, the 49ers would not need a dramatic shift. Even a more dependable No. 2 option could help trim McCaffrey’s weekly load.
The other obvious path is the draft.
The 49ers have enough draft flexibility to consider adding a running back without forcing the move too early. That is especially relevant if Shanahan and the front office believe they need a more legitimate complement rather than just another camp body. A mid-round back with real rotational value would make a lot of sense given the way Shanahan framed the issue.
Free agency could remain part of the conversation too, especially if a veteran option becomes affordable. But the more realistic read is that San Francisco may prefer a younger, cheaper answer if it believes that player can grow into the role.
This Is About Protecting the 49ers’ Offense
That is why Shanahan’s comments should get fans’ attention.
McCaffrey is still the engine of the offense. He is still the player defenses have to account for on every snap. And he is still the kind of weapon the 49ers cannot really replace.
But Shanahan’s remarks suggest the team understands something important: asking McCaffrey to do everything again is probably not the best plan.
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