Star 49ers' long absence from practice was planned, not injury-related

It turns out San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey's injury was much ado about nothing. Instead, his prolonged absence was part of a plan.

McCaffrey missed the last couple of weeks and both preseason games with what the team labeled as "tightness." The vagueness and unwillingness to specify where the running back was having an issue led to some consternation that perhaps the problem was bigger than the team was letting on.

It turns out is was not a problem at all.

ESPN's Nick Wagoner on Sunday asked McCaffrey about the All-Pro's absence after McCaffrey returned to practice. McCaffrey said this was all part of the plan going into camp.

"Obviously when you don't practice, the way the media works now it's a firestorm," McCaffrey said via Wagoner. "But this was kind of part of the plan from the jump was to ramp up pretty big, get nine, 10 practices in, kind of come back down and then ramp back up so we're fresh for the duration. Our staff's done a great job of coming up with specific plans. And again, I feel great. I feel fresh, and it's good to be back out there."

The concern from fans and media was understandable. We'd argue the "firestorm" had more to do with McCaffrey's very recent and long-term injury histories than it did with "the way the media works now," but that's a separate discussion.

It makes sense the 49ers and McCaffrey would try something drastically different since he led the league in touches a season ago and is entering his age 30 season. The last time he led the league in touches (2023) he played only four games the following year. The time before that (2019) he played just three games the following year.

San Francisco has a narrow path to contending for a Super Bowl this season, and that path closely rapidly if McCaffrey is limited to only a handful of games. Their plan didn't work in 2024, so they're doing something different in 2026. If it works, the handwringing over his training camp absence will quickly be forgotten.

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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Star 49ers' long absence from practice was planned, not injury-related