San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has endured a frustrating season. After missing the first eight games due to Achilles tendinitis, the star playmaker suffered a PCL injury in his fourth game back, ending his season prematurely.
It's far from the encore McCaffrey envisioned following his NFL Offensive Player of the Year campaign. Now, the focus shifts to recovery and preparing for next season, where McCaffrey hopes to help the 49ers rebound from a disappointing 2024.
On Wednesday, McCaffrey shared a heartfelt message with fans on Instagram, reflecting on the challenges he faced this season.
"Football is the greatest game on the planet to me," McCaffrey wrote. "I love that you can find out exactly who you are without ever saying a word. It lifts you up and breaks you down and it can happen fast. It's humbling in the best ways. You can do everything right and still fail. Thats life and that's football. It's a constant test of wills and those who just keep going tend to reap the benefits of their perseverance.
"This wasn't my year, and sometimes when it rains, it pours. You can feel sorry for yourself and listen to the birds, or you can hold the line. I'm grateful for the support of everyone in my corner and promise I'll work smarter and harder than ever to come back better from this. I love my teammates, I love the 9ers, and I love football. God doesn't miss. Onward."
Head coach Kyle Shanahan addressed McCaffrey's mindset after yet another difficult setback.
"I think he's doing alright," Shanahan said. "I think he was extremely disappointed right when it happened, for a couple days. Just talking to him yesterday, I think he's accepting it. It's just not his year, obviously, the way it started out, how hard he worked to get back and then having that random injury that he had in Buffalo.
"I know he is disappointed about the year, but I know he's excited and hungry as hell to get back to work and get ready for next year."
McCaffrey finished with 348 scrimmage yards, including 202 rushing yards on 50 carries, through his four game appearances.
