San Francisco 49ers star Christian McCaffrey left Sunday night’s 35-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills with a knee injury, but it appeared to be much worse than that.
McCaffrey is believed to have suffered a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury and could “potentially” see his season come to an end, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said.
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San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, #23, runs against Buffalo Bills safety Taylor Rapp, bottom, during the first half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, New York, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
“I think PCL is usually a couple weeks, but I’m not exactly sure yet,” he added.
The running back was a focal point of the 49ers’ game plan early against the Bills. As the snow came down on the field at Highmark Stadium, McCaffrey ran the ball seven times and was targeted three times through the air.
He had 53 rushing yards and two catches for 14 yards before he left the field.
It was a crushing blow to a team that has been riddled with injuries on both sides of the ball. The snow made matters much worse for San Francisco. Brock Purdy had only 94 passing yards on 18 attempts.
“He’s one of the best running backs in the league,” Purdy said of McCaffrey. “When you lose him like that, I think it takes away just sort of how we do some things in the offense.”
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, #23, is hit by Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, #3, during the first half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, New York, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
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Shanahan said he believed McCaffrey hurt himself after getting tackled after an 18-yard run in the second quarter. He went down a few plays later.
“It looked like he just got shoe-stringed there, he was about to break a house call,” Shanahan said. “It was frustrating. He had a great week of practice. I could feel his urgency and stuff. Thought he came out great, looking real good.”
McCaffrey has been on the shelf for most of the season. The reigning Offensive Player of the Year missed the first eight games of the season with Achilles tendinitis.
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey speaks with the media after NFL football practice in Santa Clara, California, on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar, File)
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In the four games he has played, he has 202 rushing yards as well as 15 catches for 146 yards. He has not scored this season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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