The San Francisco 49ers endured a challenging 2024 season, struggling to find their footing after a year in which they were NFC champions and Super Bowl contenders.
Much of their misfortune stemmed from the absence of Christian McCaffrey, who spent most of the season sidelined due to persistent Achilles tendonitis.
However, after months of setbacks, there is finally good news-McCaffrey is on track to return at full strength next season.
According to his father, Ed McCaffrey, the 49ers running back is progressing well and should be ready for a full offseason of training.
“He’s doing great. He should be fully healthy this week, by next week, and he’ll have a full offseason to train,” Ed revealed, offering much-needed optimism for 49ers fans.
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McCaffrey‘s Achilles issues surfaced early in the season, preventing him from playing in the season opener against the New York Jets.
As his condition worsened, he was placed on injured reserve and eventually sought treatment in Germany. Now, after an extended recovery period, he appears ready to return to action.
49ers Face Uncertain Future After Disappointing Season
While McCaffrey prepares for his comeback, his father admits he’s still dealing with the heartbreak of Super Bowl LVIII, where the 49ers fell short against the Kansas City Chiefs.
“I still have PTSD from last year’s Super Bowl, so I haven’t recovered yet,” Ed joked.
The 49ers had high hopes for the 2024 season, but their struggles without McCaffrey were evident. As the team faltered, changes were inevitable, and two coaches-Nick Sorensen and Brian Schneider-became casualties of a disappointing campaign.
Sorensen, who started the season as the defensive coordinator before being reassigned to special teams coordinator, was ultimately replaced by Brant Boyer. He has since joined the Dallas Cowboys as their special teams coordinator under Brian Schottenheimer.
Meanwhile, Brian Schneider was out of work for a month before securing a role with the Washington Commanders as an assistant special teams coordinator.
“The Commanders are hiring long-time special teams coordinator Brian Schneider as Washington‘s assistant special teams coordinator, a source tells @NFLonCBS. Schneider was most recently with the 49ers and reunites with Dan Quinn after several years together in Seattle,” reported Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.
As the 49ers look to bounce back next season, they will have a mix of new coaching personnel and, most importantly, a healthy Christian McCaffrey leading the offense.
With the Madden Curse seemingly behind them, San Francisco will be eager to reclaim their contender status in 2025.