Even head coach Kyle Shanahan was reluctant to take a side, not wanting to get in trouble for campaigning for one or the other.
"That's the only reason I wouldn't overly comment on either one of them because I don't want them to cancel each other out," Shanahan said last week. "But if any non-quarterback is going to get an MVP, I don't get how Christian McCaffrey can't. I mean, he's amazing in what he's done all year.
"If it's going to a quarterback, then I don't have to talk about Christian. I can talk about our quarterback. And if his numbers is all you see, then I think that solves it up. But if you watch the film, then it makes it even stronger, which to me is the most important thing."
NFL legend and Bay Area icon Jerry Rice recently joined 49ers linebacker Fred Warner's podcast, "The Warner House," and was asked who should win the coveted award. The Hall of Fame wide receiver couldn't pick a side either.
"I think both guys," Rice declared. "... It's amazing because you see how valuable CMC (McCaffrey) is if he's not in the game, and also, Brock Purdy. We always talk about that missing piece and you have to be also part of a chain. And if you're a weak link in that chain, you're not going to have success, you're not going to win football games, you're not going to win championships.
"I don't see us winning a championship without Brock Purdy. I don't see us winning a championship without CMC. So, I don't know how this is going to unfold, but I think both guys really deserve that."
Warner suggested splitting the trophy in half, with each player taking home the honor. You probably wouldn't get any argument from Purdy or McCaffrey on that idea.
Rice continued praising the two players, saying, "I'm going to go back to Brock one more time because Brock reminds me a lot of [QB Joe] Montana, his coolness. He doesn't get rattled, and you need your quarterback to be that way. And with CMC, coming out of the backfield, catching the ball, rushing, scoring touchdowns, he does it all."
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