49ers’ Christian McCaffrey confident he can play into his mid-30s

Don't tell Christian McCaffrey that most NFL running backs are too battered to play beyond age 30. The 28-year-old San Francisco 49ers star believes he has plenty of years left in him. When DJ Siddiqi of RG.org asked if he envisions playing into his mid-30s, McCaffrey didn't hesitate.

"Absolutely," McCaffrey replied confidently. "I don't put limits on anything. I always go off how I feel, and I feel fantastic. I feel great. I look at guys around the league who are my age and are still balling, guys older than me like [Ravens RB] Derrick Henry and [Dolphins RB] Raheem Mostert. They're in their 30's, and they're Pro Bowlers and All-Pro caliber players. I absolutely think you can go as long as you want."

Given McCaffrey's track record, it's hard to doubt him. He's consistently ranked as the best running back in the NFL, showing no signs of slowing down. However, there is some concern about his workload. Last season, McCaffrey played 812 snaps and carried the ball 272 times, his highest totals since 2019. Fortunately, the 49ers' running back room is well-stocked with talent, including Elijah Mitchell, Jordan Mason, and Matt Breida, which should help ease McCaffrey's burden.

McCaffrey is likely looking to build on his stellar NFL Offensive Player of the Year campaign, during which he amassed 2,023 scrimmage yards and 21 total touchdowns. The 49ers rewarded their top offensive playmaker with an extension this offseason, keeping him in the Bay Area through the 2027 season.

Currently, McCaffrey is dealing with a calf injury that will sideline him for the preseason. However, it's not considered serious, and the running back expects to be ready for Week 1 against the New York Jets.

"Yeah, I feel great," McCaffrey recently said in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio. "Very cautionary stuff. If we had a game, I would play, but just trying to be smart right now. But still training, still getting a bunch of work in, so that come Week 1, we're ready to roll."

McCaffrey's teammates know his value to the 49ers, with one recently praising his impact on the field.

"He makes things easy for me," fullback Kyle Juszczyk told Siddiqi. "He's the best football player I've ever seen in person. To see all that he does and how he does everything at the most elite level possible. I truly think this guy could be a number-one receiver for teams. He's the best running back in the NFL. He passes, protects, he runs inside, outside zone, power, gap schemes, and he can catch passes.

"I'm so happy that we made that trade, and I think that's one of the biggest and best moves we've made as an organization in recent history."

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• Niners RB Christian McCaffrey 'absolutely' could play into his mid-30s: 'I absolutely think you can go as long as you want' NFL.com • Aug 17