Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers have been given hope that a huge boost will fall their way after a turbulent 2024 NFL season thus far.
Compiling a 3-4 record before the 49ers’ clash against the Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco needed a win to keep their playoff hopes alive, especially after making the Super Bowl last season. And the 49ers did exactly that, holding the Cowboys to 24 points in the win to climb back to a .500 record on the season.
That said, the 49ers have been without star running back Christian McCaffrey for the entire year as the 28-year-old continues to deal with a handful of lower leg injuries. However, it appears as if McCaffrey will be returning to the field in the coming weeks, potentially after the 49ers’ bye week.
George Pickens TD taken away on unexpected technicality with Steelers unable to challenge
Trevon Diggs clarifies heated ‘deez nuts’ confrontation after latest Dallas Cowboys loss
During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter revealed that the star running back is on track for a return before the end of the year. “Here, as of right now, might be the first positive Christian McCaffrey injury update of the entire season,” Schefter began, leading to surprised gasps from the “McAfee Show” crew.
“So far, he has not had any setbacks during his recovery. I don’t want to jynx this, right, knock on wood, I don’t want to jynx this, but he has had not any setbacks and he has looked strong and right now, he’s poised to get back, I think, after their bye and play against the [Tampa Bay] Buccaneers.”
And while the news about McCaffrey’s impending return surely will provide a boost for the 49ers, Schefter made sure to provide a caveat to the news he broke. In particular, the insider made sure to reiterate that timeline certainly can change, depending on how the star continues to recover.
“Now, now again, hold on,” Schefter warned to McAfee. “We thought he was going to play in the opener and all of a sudden, that Friday before, setback. But I think we could say it this way: Right now, he is tracking to play against the Buccaneers.”
Without McCaffrey, the 49ers have kept their heads above water though just barely. Tabbed as one of the best teams in the NFC before the season, San Francisco has struggled to get an offense unit that has stayed healthy.
With McCaffrey sidelined, Purdy and head coach Kyle Shanahan had to rely on Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings and Jordan Mason to replicate the impact the 28-year-old had. However, that task was made more difficult after Aiyuk suffered a season-ending knee injury.
At one point, even star wideout Deebo Samuel had to be hospitalized, with the 49ers having to rely on rookie Ricky Pearsall to carry the load offensively, showing just how battered the 49ers were. Still, San Francisco has been able to keep its head above water as it waits for McCaffrey’s return.
That said, if McCaffrey does return after the 49ers bye week against the Buccaneers, it could be fair to state that Shanahan will ease the star into action. Considering how much time McCaffrey has missed, it stands to reason that the 49ers head coach will limit what McCaffrey does, with San Francisco fully unleashing him, if it gets to the playoffs.
For now, the 49ers will enjoy an extended break to get to as close to full strength as they can. San Francisco will take on Tampa Bay on Nov. 10.
Want to watch more live sports? Peacock has your favorite sports, shows, and more all in one place. Peacock offers plans starting at $7.99 so you can stream live sports like NFL, Premier League, and Big Ten Football.
Leave a Reply