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Kyle Shanahan has high hopes for the 49ers new running back duo of Christian McCaffrey and Brian Robinson Jr.

The San Francisco 49ers are entering the 2025 campaign with hopes that they can get back on track after a sorely disappointing 2024 season. One reason for hope is the team’s new running back duo of Christian McCaffrey and Brian Robinson Jr., and according to head coach Kyle Shanahan, these two could combine to accomplish some big things in 2025.

McCaffrey was one of several star players who missed a considerable chunk of time last season, and while the Niners got contributions from guys like Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo, they wanted to reinforce the position in the event he gets hurt again. That led them to recently trade for Robinson from the Washington Commanders, and it’s created a duo out of the backfield that Shanahan is a big fan of.

Kyle Shanahan Gushes Over 49ers’ Running Back Duo

In his first full season with the 49ers, McCaffrey took the league by storm, putting together one of the most impressive seasons by a running back in recent memory. In 16 games, he racked up 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground, while also catching 67 passes for 564 yards and seven more scores as a receiver.

2024 didn’t go McCaffrey’s way, though, as he picked up just 348 total yards and no touchdowns in the four games he took the field for. That led to the team’s decision to pick up Robinson, who ran for 788 yards and eight touchdowns in 14 games for Washington last season. Put them together, and San Fran has a top-tier running back duo.

Add in the absences the team is currently dealing with at wide receiver, and that makes McCaffrey and Robinson even more important when it comes to the start of the season. If you ask Shanahan, he believes that these guys can accomplish some big things now that they are working together out of the 49ers’ backfield.

“When Christian goes out, whether it’s run play or a pass play, it’s tough, because you know he’s such a good runner and such a good receiver,” Shanahan said. “Now when you have a really, really good back behind him and we take Christian out, you’re not so upset on all these plays because you know you’ve got a guy coming in there that you shouldn’t miss a beat on.”

Kyle Shanahan, 49ers Looking to Find Their Way Back to the Playoffs

GettyHead coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers.

Staying healthy is the name of the game for the Niners as they enter the new season. They have a slew of guys who are banged up from training camp, but the important thing is that their top players, like McCaffrey, Brock Purdy, George Kittle, Nick Bosa, and Fred Warner, are all healthy for the time being.

If those guys can stay on the field, San Francisco should automatically be better than they were last year. There’s no guarantee that will happen, though, which is why having a player like Robinson work in unison with McCaffrey is such a big development for the team. Regardless of who is lined up in the backfield, the 49ers should be able to move the ball at will on the ground, which is a scary proposition for their opponents in 2025.

Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is a Breaking News Writer at Heavy. In addition to writing for Heavy, Owen works as a Content Producer for More Views Media. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli

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