The 49ers Faithful can breathe a deep sigh of relief.
After skipping organized team activities — which are optional — 49ers All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey returned to the team facility Tuesday for the start of mandatory minicamp.
Tuesday wasn’t McCaffrey’s first time with the 49ers since the team’s locker room cleanout day in February, but it will be the first time he’s taken the field this season.
McCaffrey’s notable absence from the OTAs raised a few eyebrows last month, and the comments from 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and running backs coach Bobby Turner afterward didn’t necessarily ease those concerns.
While Turner said he wasn’t concerned about McCaffrey’s failure to appear, he suggested there could be more to the story about the running back’s whereabouts.
“Physically,” Turner told NBC Sports Bay Area in May. “Physically he’s not here, but he’s here in every other aspect. That’s the business part, and I won’t go into that.”
McCaffrey signed a four-year, $64 million contract extension with the Carolina Panthers in 2020 – the highest annual salary for a running back in the NFL. His $11.8 million salary in 2024 is still one of the highest in the league at his position, but there is a significant difference from other playmakers in San Francisco’s locker room.
Deebo Samuel will earn almost $21 million by 2024. Brandon Aiyuk will make $14.1 million. Quarterback Brock Purdy is primed for a big payday in 2025.
McCaffrey took Shanahan’s offense to new heights following his trade to the Red and Gold midway through the 2022 season. His efforts earned him the 2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year award after he finished the season with 21 total touchdowns and led the league in scrimmage yards (2,023) while helping the 49ers to a 12-5 record, the No. 1 in the league. NFC and a Super Bowl LVIII appearance.
The 27-year-old led the NFL with 1,459 yards rushing and 14 rushing touchdowns while averaging 5.4 yards per attempt last season. He added 67 receptions for 564 yards and seven touchdowns through the air.
While the numbers and the “business” side of things will sort themselves out when the time comes, for now it appears that Turner, McCaffrey and the 49ers are ready to shift their focus to playing football.
“Christian wants to get better every day and my job is to make sure he doesn’t want to be in the comfort zone or at a low performance level,” Turner said. “His standards are very high and every day we look for him to improve.”
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