George Kittle: 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey has ‘years left in the tank’

Many around the league are surprised by the elite production San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is delivering this season, especially after battling injuries and missing most of the 2024 campaign. Yet McCaffrey has bounced back in MVP-caliber fashion, racking up 1,655 scrimmage yards and 13 total touchdowns with a near-even split between rushing and receiving.

McCaffrey is on pace to record over 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving for the second time in his career, becoming the first player in NFL history with multiple 1,000-1,000 seasons.

One person who isn't surprised at all by McCaffrey's performance this season? 49ers tight end George Kittle.

Kittle joined the Why Is Draymond Green Talking About Football? podcast with Draymond Green and Jordan Schultz, and explained why he never doubted that McCaffrey was poised for a big 2025 campaign.

"I told everybody this offseason, I said, 'Draft Christian McCaffrey first overall in your fantasy football. You're going to love it,'" Kittle shared. "He's a freak athlete. He's one of my favorite people to watch run with the football. He's one of the most athletically gifted people I've ever seen. His vision is insane."

With McCaffrey set to turn 30 next year, questions naturally arise about how long the star running back can continue performing at such a high level. Kittle made it clear he expects McCaffrey to keep producing for years to come.

"Christian, I still think he's got years left on the legs," Kittle said. "He still looks great. You should see the way that he works out, the way that he trains, the way that he takes care of his body in the offseason. He's very dialed in."

Kittle also praised McCaffrey's relentless competitive streak.

"Christian is also [among] the top three most competitive people I've ever met in my entire life," Kittle noted. "When we can play cards, and he'll get upset with me if I win something. So, it's pretty phenomenal.

"His competitive nature is going to keep him like—he'll just like say, 'Screw it.' He'll just play until the wheels fall off. Kind of like me, but he's got years left in the tank."