49ers star Christian McCaffrey added to injury report with calf issue ahead of season opener

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SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey was added to the team's injury report with a calf injury three days before the season opener.

McCaffrey was listed as limited at practice on Thursday with the injury after he had no disclosed health issues for all of training camp following an injury-plagued 2024 season.

McCaffrey missed almost all of training camp last season with what the team initially called a calf injury but was expected to be ready for the start of the season. But McCaffrey was a late scratch for that game with bilateral Achilles tendinitis.

McCaffrey went to Germany to see a specialist and missed the first eight games of the season. He returned to play four games before going down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 13 in Buffalo.

McCaffrey was back healthy for the offseason program and looked like his old self all summer as both he and the 49ers awaited his return to game action.

“He seems very excited,” tight end George Kittle said earlier Thursday about McCaffrey's anticipated return. “He’s been excited since OTAs. He’s been excited since the season ended. So yes, I’m very, very much looking forward to being able to block for him and run routes next to him again.”

McCaffrey transformed San Francisco's offense after being acquired midway through the 2022 season in a trade from Carolina. He helped the team reach the NFC title game that season and then did even more in 2023 in his first full season with the Niners.

McCaffrey won the AP Offensive Player of the Year that season after leading the NFL with 2,023 yards from scrimmage and tying for the league lead with 21 touchdowns.

McCaffrey had missed just one game combined in 2022-23 — a meaningless Week 18 game in the 2023 season for San Francisco when he had a sore calf — after missing 23 games because of injuries in his final two full seasons with Carolina.

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