San Francisco 49ers running back Jerick McKinnon is excited about showcasing his abilities within head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense. He knows what Shanahan did with running backs during his time as the offensive coordinator with the Atlanta Falcons – names like Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman.
McKinnon is replacing Carlos Hyde as the team's featured running back. In a Shanahan offense, that can be a lot of pressure. However, McKinnon is not concerned with what happened before he joined the 49ers. Instead, he is focused on what he can bring to the offense.
"I have a lot of respect for Carlos," McKinnon told Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area during the 49ers Insider Podcast. "We came out the same year. I think he's one hell of a ballplayer, but for me, it's not about trying to fill his shoes. It's about me being the best Jerick McKinnon I can be for this team and this organization, so that's what I'm trying to bring to the table."
The 49ers signed McKinnon at the start of free agency. He registered 1,918 yards on 474 carries with seven touchdowns in his four NFL seasons before joining San Francisco. Over the past two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, he recorded 1,109 rushing yards on 309 carries with five touchdowns while adding 94 receptions for 676 yards with four touchdown catches.
The 49ers kicked off their first week of organized team activities this week. McKinnon is still going through the learning process and has had just two days of practices that involve 11-on-11 drills.
"These first two days have been good just to get out there and get the juices flowing with everybody," he said. "Get back in rhythm, knock the rust off a long offseason, really get in sync with the offense. It's only been Day 2, but it's a long way to go.
"Obviously, I have a lot to learn with it being a new offense. For me, it's just about coming to work with a never-satisfied attitude and giving my all. I'm pretty sure if I do that, my teammates will see that and then we can all just get better from there."
McKinnon says the team discusses the possibilities in 2018 and the focus is on the Super Bowl. That is the goal for him and his teammates.
"In the season, you're going to have ups and downs," he said. "That's just part of a 17-week NFL season. But at the end of it, you've just got to keep the eye on the prize, and that's the Super Bowl. Whatever it is that happens, we have to stick together as a team to get to that common goal."
McKinnon also discussed his new role as a leader, people underestimating what he can do because of his size, what he has learned from Adrian Peterson, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, and more.
You can listen to the entire interview with McKinnon below.
