NFL News: HC Kyle Shanahan makes something clear about 49ers Christian McCaffrey's injury

The first Monday Night Football game of the season saw the San Francisco 49ers emerge victorious in a crucial matchup against the New York Jets. However, the big story of the night was the notable absence of RB Christian McCaffrey, who was sidelined due to injury. In response to this situation, it was none other than head coach Kyle Shanahan who provided a clear statement.

In a press conference, the San Francisco head coach made it clear that the team’s star RB is dealing with an lingering calf injury. Unlike last year’s playoffs, where he was able to return to play despite his situation, the coach emphasized that, given the early stage of the season, they prefer to let him recover fully and not risk further injury.

“I believe they’re similar, I know it was a calf then and it’s a calf now,” Shanahan told the media in a conference press after winning their first game in the season against the Jets.

“You guys can ask Christian more on that. Definitely, I believe if it was a playoff game he would’ve played. It’s not just the calf, it’s the Achilles, and the Achilles is tendinitis, and that stuff comes and goes. And when it is acting up it’s something you’ve got to be very careful about. Christian is very diligent about that stuff. If it was a playoff game, he made it very clear to me he believed he could go. But when you hear that type of stuff, and it’s not a playoff game, and it’s Week One, especially when you’re dealing with the lower extremities like that, it was a tough decision, but hearing all the words and stuff, in the long run it made it easy.”

Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers looks on from the sideline during the first half of a preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on August 23, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Shanahan reveals 49ers almost lost another star

Contending for a Super Bowl ring requires a roster that’s up to the challenge, and the 49ers are clearly up to the task. However, the head coach revealed that they nearly lost a key star who plays a crucial role alongside Brock Purdy, Deebo Samuel, and Christian McCaffrey.

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Why is Christian McCaffrey not playing for the 49ers against the Jets in Week 1?

The player in question is none other than Brandon Aiyuk, who was involved in ongoing negotiations with management regarding a contract renewal. Ultimately, a lucrative agreement was reached.

“It was that I wanted to make sure he wasn’t traded already,” Shanahan said, via 49ersWebzone.com. “But no, that’s how I kind of reported you guys throughout the whole time. You guys would ask me stuff about it, and I say, ‘Anything could happen.’ There were reports that we almost traded with some teams, and then we didn’t. Some were true, some weren’t, but all options were open.”

Brandon Aiyuk #11 of the San Francisco 49ers runs the ball after a catch during the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

San Francisco 49ers next matchups

After a successful start to the season under Shanahan, here are the upcoming games for the 49ers as they aim to remain strong contenders for the playoffs:

• vs Minnesota Vikings – Week 2
• vs Los Angeles Rams – Week 3
• vs New England Patriots – Week 4
• vs Arizona Cardinals – Week 5
• vs Seattle Seahawks – Week 6