San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed after Sunday night's loss to the Buffalo Bills that running back Christian McCaffrey suffered a right posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury during the game. While Shanahan did not rule out the possibility of the injury ending McCaffrey's 2024 season, the extent of the damage remains uncertain.
On Monday morning, McCaffrey's father, former NFL wide receiver Ed McCaffrey, provided an update during an appearance on Up & Adams with Kay Adams. He revealed that he spoke with his son shortly after the injury and described it as a PCL strain, with more clarity expected after further medical evaluations.
"He'll get an MRI today," Ed said. "And hopefully, it's not too serious. Hopefully it's not too serious, and it's something he can bounce back from pretty quickly. ... He'll do everything he can to get back on the field as quickly as possible and as healthy as possible."
Ed acknowledged what many fans observed: After struggling to regain his NFL Offensive Player of the Year form following an Achilles tendinitis setback that caused him to miss the first eight games of the season, Christian appeared to be on his way to a strong performance against the Bills.
"He was looking good again, running over some people," Ed said. "It looked like it was going to be a great day. And just like that, it can be taken from you."
The loss to Buffalo dropped the 49ers to 5-7, severely diminishing their already slim playoff chances. Ed noted that if the injury isn't as severe as initially feared, his son would likely push to return despite the bleak outlook for the season. He stated that's what NFL players are paid to do—play.
"If he's ready to go, he will go," Ed said. "He's going to do everything he can to get ready, and hopefully, the team can win a few more games in his absence. But right now, the tough part is not knowing. I don't even know how serious the injury is or how long it will take to recover. ... We hope we're deciding whether to play or not, or whether or not he can physically play."
Christian fought hard to get back onto the football field with his teammates during his earlier setback and may have another challenging journey ahead. His father expressed confidence in his son's resilience.
"Any parent on the planet who has a kid knows how it feels when things don't go well for their son," Ed shared. "But Christian's tough. He'll bounce back. You feel angry and confused, and you grieve a little bit, and then you go back towards getting healthy again, and getting back on the saddle one day. So that's where his emphasis is right now."
Christian's father expressed unwavering confidence in his son's ability to overcome this latest challenge, emphasizing that the running back will do everything possible to reclaim his role as a key offensive weapon for the 49ers.
"He's so strong and he has been through it before," Ed concluded. "And it's tough. It's a tough break for him. But he's very blessed, and he's very strong and very determined, so he will be back."
