Achilles tendonitis robbed San Francisco 49ers star Christian McCaffrey of the first eight games of the 2024 NFL season. A knee injury kept the running back out of Sunday night’s Week 13 matchup against the Buffalo Bills, and could keep the Pro Bowler sidelined for the rest of the year, and coach Kyle Shanahan told the reporters after McCaffrey is out indefinitely with what is believed to be a PCL issue. According to ESPN, he will undergo an MRI on his knee on Monday.
McCaffrey, who took a throw from quarterback Brock Purdy in the second quarter, barely moved with the ball before limping against the Bills and then sliding into the snowpack at Highmark Stadium, avoiding contact and requesting immediate medical attention. He was explosive early in the game, gaining 53 yards on just seven carries, but cautiously walked toward the medical tent after the slide.
McCaffrey then walked under his own power to the locker room for further evaluation, leaving third-year backup Jordan Mason in charge of the backfield.
It appeared that McCaffrey suffered the injury on his previous 18-yard run in which Bills safety Taylor Rapp was able to trip his right ankle. McCaffrey fell hard on his right knee and had to go out for two plays.
Named the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year while eclipsing 2,000 yards from scrimmage for the NFC champion 49ers, McCaffrey was just playing in his fourth game of the 2024 campaign on Sunday night. He also missed a lot of time due to injury in 2020-2021, while still playing for the Carolina Panthers.
