San Francisco’s star running back knows his return to NFL prominence didn’t happen overnight or alone.

San Francisco 49ers superstar running back Christian McCaffrey was back to doing Christian McCaffrey things in 2025, and that shouldn’t be taken for granted. Lest we forget that he flew to Germany to receive treatment for bilateral Achilles tendinitis and sprained his PC last season!

It was starting to feel like the beginning of the beginning of the end for McCaffrey. The injuries were piling up, plus he’s approaching the dreaded age-30 mark for tailbacks in the NFL. Yet, we saw him rebound emphatically to the tune of a historic Comeback Player of the Year campaign.

McCaffrey talked about what it took to defy expectations and get back to his dominant ways during an interview with FanSided.

Christian McCaffrey pulls back the curtain on his return to NFL prominence

Niners fans saw McCaffrey overcome multiple lower-body issues en route to becoming one of just eight players all-time with three or more 2,000-yard scrimmage campaigns. While he made it look ridiculously easy, the recovery process was anything but that. The dramatic turnaround speaks to his freak-of-nature status, though the four-time All-Pro knows the return to prominence didn’t happen overnight or alone:

“I think kind of beating the odds more this year … that was a challenge. Ended the season with some tough stuff to come back from, but I think the commitment I had to the offseason and the people that helped me to get where I could get to training camp healthy and ready to go, I have a lot of gratitude for them.”

49ers star RB Christian McCaffrey

The 49ers gave McCaffrey a whopping 29 touches in his first game back from the previously mentioned ailments. While many may have seen that as overzealous and risky, it’s clear that this was months in the making for him and the club. They put together a plan to ensure he’s able to be the difference-making dual-threat workhorse folks in San Francisco have come to know and love.

While McCaffrey’s efforts weren’t enough to propel the 49ers past the Divisional Round in the playoffs, he’s thankful to just tell the tale.

There were plenty of positives to take away from what the 2017 first-round pick called “the good, the bad and the ugly,” like his health.

Note: San Francisco 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey spoke on behalf of Sleep Number.