San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is facing a conundrum, one he’s effectively generated for himself over the last few years.
On one hand, it’s fair to list All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey as the coach’s best offensive player. Both the 2023 and 2025 seasons were indicative of such—CMC taking home the Offensive Player of the Year award in one year, then nearly reaching the elusive 1,000/1,000-yard club for the second time in his career two seasons later.
The problem, though, is McCaffrey has a lengthy history of injuries in the wake of outstanding seasons. The rusher appeared in just 10 games the following two years after his impeccable 2019 efforts with the Carolina Panthers. Then, in 2024, CMC missed all but four games because of injuries.
Granted, few athletes take care of their bodies as much as McCaffrey. Yet Shanahan has repeatedly painted himself into a corner with the tailback’s use, perennially promising to ease the load on McCaffrey but never doing so.
Unless forced by injury, of course.
Kyle Shanahan has become too reliant on Christian McCaffrey to spell him
It’s understandable why Shanahan wants McCaffrey on the field as much as possible. Not just one of the league’s best running backs, CMC is arguably the best pass-catching route runner at his position right now. And that affords Shanahan the luxury of opening up so much more of his playbook.
Yet the reliance on McCaffrey to deliver as such is equally problematic. A year ago, McCaffrey led the league with 413 touches and boasted an astounding 932 offensive snaps—the highest since joining the Niners in 2022.
Now at age 30, and with a history of injuries to be worried about, it’s fair to wonder how Shanahan plans to ease McCaffrey’s workload. Prior attempts haven’t transpired.
A worst-case scenario would be a repeat of 2024 where McCaffrey suffers a long-term injury, forcing Shanahan to rely on unproven commodities like second-year pro Jordan James and/or rookie Kaelon Black, likely leading to a reduction in the coach’s overall offensive prowess.
The best-case outcome, of course, would be a repeat of 2023 or 2025, although given McCaffrey’s age, it certainly seems unlikely.
The reality probably falls somewhere in between, but the X-factor will ultimately be how Shanahan devises ways to become less reliant on McCaffrey to make his whole offense work to maximum effect.
To date, the head coach hasn’t fully found a way.