Christian McCaffrey shares first message after season-ending injury
Dec 17, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) warms up before playing against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Christian McCaffrey on Wednesday shared his first message to his fans after suffering a season-ending injury on Sunday.
McCaffrey suffered an injury to the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) in his left knee in the 49ers’ loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The injury will take him out for at least the rest of the regular season, which is the unfortunate end to what’s been a brutal year for the 2-time All-Pro player.
McCaffrey addressed the disappointment in a post he shared to Instagram.
“Football is the greatest game on the planet to me. I love that you can find out exactly who you are without ever saying a word. It lifts you up and breaks you down and it can happen fast. It’s humbling in the best ways. You can do everything right and still fail. Thats (sic) life and that’s football. It’s a constant test of wills and those who just keep going tend to reap the benefits of their perseverance,” McCaffrey wrote.
“This wasn’t my year, and sometimes when it rains, it pours. You can feel sorry for yourself and listen to the birds, or you can hold the line. I’m grateful for the support of everyone in my corner and promise I’ll work smarter and harder than ever to come back better from this. I love my teammates, I love the 9ers, and I love football. God doesn’t miss. Onward.”
McCaffrey wound up playing in just four games. He tallied 348 yards from scrimmage, and for the first time in his career, he went a season without scoring a single touchdown.
Compare that to last year when the 28-year-old led the NFL with 1,459 rushing yards and scored 21 touchdowns.
McCaffrey dealt with calf and Achilles injuries in the preseason and throughout the regular season. Maybe he and the Niners might have handled things differently if they had a chance to do it over.