According to head coach Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey won't practice on Thursday, which means he'll have missed two consecutive practices due to a calf contusion. It's something everyone around the NFL media world is keeping an eye on this week as the team prepares for its NFC Championship Game clash against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Don't expect a little injury to keep McCaffrey out on Sunday, though. Reporters asked the running back if there was any chance in his mind that he wouldn't play against the Eagles.
"Zero," McCaffrey quickly and confidently responded.
The 49ers traded for McCaffrey on October 20, 2022. He has started each of the team's past 12 games, including these last two playoff matchups. San Francisco is 12-0 when McCaffrey is on the field for the offense's opening drive. He's determined not to miss Sunday's game at Lincoln Financial Field.
Can he do that despite missing two full practices? The remaining practice, Friday's session, is typically a lighter one. The running back has a plan to be ready for Sunday.
"Just do all the walk-throughs, the run-throughs, whatever," McCaffrey shared, "and go through the list multiple times with coach [Anthony] Lynn or Bobby [Turner]. It's the same process for me, just lowering a little bit of the physical load."
McCaffrey amassed 1,880 total yards and 13 total touchdowns this season. One-thousand two-hundred ten of those yards and 10 of those touchdowns came after the Carolina Panthers traded the running back to the 49ers. In San Francisco's two playoff games, McCaffrey has added 193 all-purpose yards and two total touchdowns.