The Sole Disappointment of Christian McCaffrey’s Remarkable 49ers Campaign

We were so close to greatness.

Jan 3, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) before the game at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

The San Francisco 49ers are now a playoff team after finishing the 2025 regular season with a 12-5 record.

With a place in the postseason secured, it's time to reflect on the 49ers' regular season.

Realistically, the 49ers have relied on just one dependable offensive weapon to carry the organization through an otherwise injury-ridden roster from both sides of the ball.

And that man was Christian McCaffrey.

Christian McCaffrey almost ventured into uncharted territory

Jan 3, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA;San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) takes the field before the game at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images | Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

San Francisco wouldn't have made the playoffs without Christian McCaffrey this year. It simply wouldn't have happened.

His numbers this season are impressive, even with a heavier workload. McCaffrey carried the ball 311 times, second most in the league, producing 1,202 rushing yards. He averaged 3.9 yards per carry, which ranked 40th in the NFL, despite finishing in the top ten in both rushing yards and touchdowns (10).

But while his rushing ability to navigate past defenses remains undisputedly elite, he also nearly ventured into uncharted territory because of his impact in the receiving game.

Prior to this season, McCaffrey was one of only three players to record both 1,000 receiving and 1,000 rushing yards in a single season, alongside Marshall Faulk and Roger Craig.

But McCaffrey accomplished this feat with the Carolina Panthers, meaning a repeat season would mark the second time in his career and make him the first player ever to do it twice.

He finished the season with 924 receiving yards - just 76 shy of 1,000, less than a full field’s length away. Fine margins.

The disappointment isn’t in McCaffrey’s performance, but in how narrowly he missed accomplishing something almost unheard of. Coming this close to doing it twice is truly unprecedented.

Christian McCaffrey has a case for Offensive Player of the Year

Jan 3, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) practices before the game at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images | Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

It won't happen, but the 29-year-old arguably deserves to win the Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY) award.

The numbers are astounding, but the real achievement is that McCaffrey essentially delivered two elite seasons in one. Not only as a running back, but another as a receiver. Few players could produce at such a high level at even one position, let alone two.

He took hit after hit, yet still put up impressive numbers week after week. His 17 total touchdowns prove that 2025 can be considered a strong season, even if some of his explosive power seemed diminished.

Heading into the playoffs, it’s unclear how far the 49ers can go, but one thing is certain: McCaffrey will fight tooth and nail to take them as far as possible.