The NFL world was at a loss for words after San Francisco 49ers star Christian McCaffrey fell victim to another serious injury in Sunday’s 35-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
McCaffrey appeared to suffer a non-contact knee injury in the second quarter and was quickly ruled out for the rest of the game. He was seen using crutches along with a knee brace in the locker room, and his PCL injury is initially thought to be season-ending.
As the 49ers anxiously await the results of McCaffrey’s MRI scans on Monday, the star running back’s dad, Ed, shared his honest thoughts on his son’s latest injury on the Up & Adams Show.
“I’ve always thought that you’re a professional football player and you’re getting paid to play. So if you’re healthy enough to play, you play, whether you’re going to the playoffs or not,” McCaffrey said when asked whether the 49ers should sit the running back if they fall out of contention for the playoffs.
“Kyle Shanahan wants to win games, so he wants every player that’s healthy on the field at all times. It means a lot, they put a lot of time and effort into this game, so if you’re healthy, you play… If he’s ready to go, he’ll go.”
Ed McCaffrey on his son Christian's injury:
"He has a PCL strain. He'll get an MRI today and hopefully it's not too serious."
Ed says Christian will continue to play regardless of the 49ers playoff chances:
"If he's ready to go, he'll go."
via: @UpAndAdamsShow | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/gRc84V8g6u
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) December 2, 2024
Of course, that’s a huge “if” considering McCaffrey’s concerning injury history.
Coming off a resurgent campaign in which he led the NFL in rushing yards (1,459), McCaffrey already missed the first eight games of the 2024-25 season and could be shut down for the rest of the year depending on his MRI results. He has just 50 rushes for 202 yards and no touchdowns through four appearances.
“Any parent on the planet who has a kid knows how it feels when things don’t go well for their son. Christian’s tough, he’ll bounce back,” said McCaffrey.
