NFL News: Jordan Mason fires back amid confusion over starting role in place of Christian McCaffrey

San Francisco 49ers‘ Jordan Mason had an outstanding performance when he stepped in for the injured Christian McCaffrey during Monday night’s 32-19 victory over Aaron Rodgers’ New York Jets. However, confusion arose about his role during the press conference.

In the days leading up to Week 1, there were conflicting reports about McCaffrey’s availability for the 49ers’ debut in the 2024 National Football League season, which led to varied responses from Mason during the press conference when asked about the moment he learned he would be chosen as the starting running back.

During the game’s broadcast, Mason told ESPN that he found out on Friday, three days before the season opener, that he would be starting against the Jets. The issue is that McCaffrey’s status was only revealed minutes before the match, when he was officially ruled out. Later, when the 25-year-old running back appeared at the press conference, he avoided questions about when his starting role was confirmed.

“That question is the reason I’m angry,” Mason said, refusing to answer. Despite his frustration with the confusing responses about his replacement of McCaffrey, the running back had an outstanding performance in the win over the Jets, totaling 147 yards and a touchdown on the ground on 28 carries.

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What did Coach Kyle Shanahan say about Mason’s statements?

Shanahan firmly denied the claim. “I never told Jordan Mason he was going to be the starter; I only warned him that he needed to be ready,” said the 49ers head coach. “I did clarify that he would need to play, that he would be the number two running back, and that the workload would be split most of the time,” he concluded regarding the confusion surrounding McCaffrey’s injury.

The possibility of a miscommunication from Mason exists, as he provided a version of the events after the game that was quickly contradicted by Shanahan and the 49ers.

Can the 49ers be penalized for not disclosing McCaffrey’s injury sooner?

The NFL has shown a preference for strict adherence to timely information regarding the health status of players listed as questionable before a game. In McCaffrey’s case, San Francisco could be investigated if it’s proven that the running back was unavailable since Friday.

There is a precedent where the league fined the Atlanta Falcons for providing conflicting information about running back Bijan Robinson’s status, so there is speculation that the 49ers could face an investigation regarding the Mason-McCaffrey situation.

What is McCaffrey’s injury?

Running back Christian McCaffrey was unable to complete practices leading up to the Week 1 game between the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Jets. While there is no specific injury, his absence is attributed to discomfort in his calf and Achilles tendon.

Due to the relatively minor nature of the injury, there was speculation about McCaffrey’s potential participation in Monday night’s game. However, his absence was officially confirmed just minutes before kickoff. As for his recovery, it will be evaluated day by day to determine if the former Carolina Panthers star could be ready to start in Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings.