Christian McCaffrey’s season finished at least five games ahead of schedule in Buffalo, New York, and started eight games late in Tampa, Florida. In a social media statement on Wednesday, McCaffrey acknowledged that the 2024 prediction wasn’t in his favour but promised to go forward after suffering a knee injury that put him on injured reserve during a frigid defeat to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night.
A day after being placed on injured reserve, McCaffrey posted on Instagram on Wednesday, saying, “To me, football is the best game on the planet.” “I adore that you can discover your true self without ever speaking. It can happen quickly and can both uplift and depress you. It’s humble in the best sense of the word. Even if you do everything correctly, you may still fail. That’s football, and that’s [sic] life. It’s a never-ending test of wills, and those who maintain their resolve usually benefit from it. Sometimes when it rains, it pours, and this wasn’t my year.
With the snow falling on Sunday night, McCaffrey sustained a PCL injury that put him on injured reserve, where he will probably miss the rest of the 2024 season unless the 49ers pull off a surprise comeback and make it to the postseason. The fourth and last game of CMC’s disastrous 2024 season ended in a 35-10 loss. McCaffrey was out for the preseason and training camp due to an Achilles and calf injury, which was initially assumed to be merely a precaution. It turned out to be much more serious than first believed. McCaffrey missed the 49ers’ first eight games after being placed on injured reserve and even travelling to Germany for professional assistance.
After the 49ers’ bye week, he made his 2024 debut in Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. McCaffrey’s four-game cameo campaign comes to an end a few weeks later, if not officially. During 2020–21, McCaffrey played just 10 games overall for the Carolina Panthers due to a string of ailments. However, he proved to be a healthy asset in addition to being a fantastic fit after being moved to the Niners during the 2022 season. This year, that changed. He ran 50 times for a career-low 202 yards and no touchdowns in four games. He ran for more yards and five touchdowns in 2020 even though he only appeared in three games. On the other hand, he started the season on the pitch.
It’s difficult to hold McCaffrey responsible after such a lengthy absence because he never got into gear this season. In a season that has seen the 49ers thrashed by them, his injury was among the first; players like Nick Bosa, Brock Purdy, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, and Trent Williams have all missed time. San Francisco appears to have had a difficult season, and CMC is now recovering from it. The 28-year-old McCaffrey is now anticipating his age-29 campaign, expressing gratitude to his fans and promising to keep going.
“You can feel sorry for yourself and listen to the birds, or you can hold the queue,” he said. “I pledge to work harder and smarter than ever to recover from this, and I’m thankful for everyone’s support. I’m passionate about football, the 9ers, and my teammates. God never fails. Continue.