Christian McCaffrey played almost every offensive snap of the 2025 season. The veteran San Francisco 49ers running back was on the field 83% of the time this past season — the most in his career since 2019. It was an extraordinary display of toughness and, by head coach Kyle Shanahan’s own admission, something the 49ers can’t afford to repeat.
“Last year was the worst we had been at it,” Shanahan said on the Tom Tolbert Show when asked about managing McCaffrey’s workload. “It’s one of the most amazing years I’ve seen by a guy in terms of just heart. He’s just incredible.”
But that admiration comes with a clear-eyed acknowledgment of the cost. McCaffrey absorbed a full season’s worth of carries, routes, and receptions while the Niners dealt with a wave of skill-position injuries around him. With key receivers missing time, McCaffrey was asked to carry the passing game just as heavily as the running game.
“The fact that he could get his body ready every Sunday for 17 weeks was amazing to me,” Shanahan said. “The load he had to carry with all the injury issues we had at receiver—he was such a pivotal part in the pass game and the run game.”
McCaffrey, who turned 29 before the season started, led the NFL with 413 touches in 2025. That was a career-high for the running back, who added 2,126 scrimmage yards and 17 total touchdowns to his stat sheet. This came two years after McCaffrey led the NFL in touches again (with 339) and scrimmage yards (2,023). The problem? McCaffrey missed all four games in the year nestled in between.
So, it stands to reason that Shanahan doesn’t want a repeat of what happened in 2024 after a heavy-workload season.
“I want him to have more juice. I want him to be fresher. He doesn’t have to take that beating when it’s unnecessary,” Shanahan said. “I’m hoping we can have some other guys step up more this year so you don’t feel like you need him on the field every play.”
The 49ers drafted Indiana running back Kaelon Black in the third round and still have Jordan James and Isaac Guerendo on the depth chart. Either of those three can take on more carries and snaps for McCaffrey, even if the star running back doesn’t want to get off the field.
“He’s never going to want to hear that,” Shanahan said about alleviating McCaffrey’s workload. “If you insinuate it, he will be extremely insulted by me.”
But the message is clear: keeping McCaffrey healthy and fresh through January is non-negotiable. The Niners need their best player to be at his best when the games matter most.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Kyle Shanahan reveals 49ers’ ‘worst’ mistake with Christian McCaffrey
Reporting by Oliver G., Niners Wire / Niners Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
