SANTA CLARA — Christian McCaffrey insisted Friday his calf is feeling “much better” and his Achilles is “not a concern for me,” even though he has remained limited in this week’s practices leading into the 49ers’ season opener Monday night.
Any doubt in his mind if he will play against the New York Jets at Levi’s Stadium? “Nope,” McCaffrey replied.
So, the usual workload for the NFL’s reigning rushing champion and AP Offensive Player of the Year? “Hope so,” he added.
McCaffrey missed four weeks of practice in training camp and the preseason. He’s looked spry enough in practice that it would be stunning if he skips the 49ers’ prime-time debut, leaving Jordan Mason to make his first career start.
Regardless, McCaffrey will share the spotlight with another running back, and we’re not talking about Jets’ counterpart Breece Hall, with all due respect to Brock Purdy’s former Iowa State teammate. At halftime, the 49ers will hold a ceremony honoring Frank Gore, their all-time rushing leader, who is being formally inducted Sunday night into the 49ers’ Edward J DeBartolo Sr. Hall of Fame.
McCaffrey loosely recalled meeting Gore during a joint practice in 2019 camp, when they were with the Carolina Panthers and the Buffalo Bills, respectively.
“Sometimes when you meet people that you’ve watched as a kid, you’re just worried about not saying anything stupid,” McCaffrey said. “I don’t remember exactly what he said to me, but I remember meeting (him), and it was a big honor when I did.”
Gore made it a point to meet McCaffrey back then only because he heard Bills’ defenders praising the 2017 Stanford product. So, after that first joint practice, Gore went to review video of him and liked what he saw.
“The next day, I went up to this kid and said, ‘Bro, the way you play and how you practice, you’re going to do special things,’” Gore recalled Friday morning on KNBR 680-AM. “Now I’m not shocked at all the compliments he gets. The way he comes to play is the right way. I’m all for him and happy for him.”
McCaffrey did recall those “cool compliments” and said they meant a lot “hearing it from someone like that.”
Gore is in his second year as a 49ers personnel advisor, so their paths continue to cross.
“I want him to go out and kill it for me so we have a big celebration when I get inducted into the 49ers Hall of Fame,” said Gore, adding that McCaffrey should decide himself how many touches he can handle Monday.
Tight end George Kittle is on board with that, saying of McCaffrey: “He has an incredibly high standard for himself. He takes this incredibly seriously. … There is an anonymous poll, and Christian should compete for the MVP, but I wasn’t allowed to pick someone on my own team, which is bull. But Christian is going to have another fantastic football season.”
PROGRESS REPORT
Left tackle Trent Williams and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk impressed with their progress as they integrated themselves into practice following their contract disputes.
“Trent is Trent and continues to be Trent,” offensive line coach Chris Foerster said. “Getting guys ready to play, there’s that push and pull of playing full speed with somebody shoving on you. That got him a little bit (Thursday). But today he seemed much better, and tomorrow he’ll continue to push himself and see how it goes.”
Brock Purdy said he benefitted greatly from a throwing session last week after Aiyuk signed his four-year, $120 million extension.
“When it comes to our base, route trees and concepts and me throwing to him out of his breaks, I’m not going to lie, it feels pretty normal, it feels pretty good,” Purdy said. “I remember a lot how he runs and how he moves. We’ve been connecting pretty well.”
INJURY REPORT
Defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos (right knee) and linebacker Dee Winters (ankle) remained the only 49ers out of practice, doing individual conditioning on the side. Limited, along with McCaffrey, were safety Talanoa Hufanga (knee), guard Aaron Banks (finger), and running back Isaac Guerendo (groin).
LATEST ON PEARSALL
Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall stood with coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch as they watched others warm up for Friday’s practice. Pearsall continues to appear in good spirits with no obvious hindrance from last Saturday’s gunshot wound to his chest by an attempted robber in San Francisco.
“Absolutely he’s going to play this year,” Lynch said Friday morning on KNBR 680-AM. “We’re going to give him the time to do it when right for him, and that’s physically, mentally, and emotionally. But he’s doing well.”
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Pearsall is out at least the first four games. On Thursday, he watched practice in cleats and spun a football in his hands, to which Lynch said: “Three days ago, it wasn’t like that. He was holding it like he was immobile on the right side of the body. He’s come along quick, and it’s a miraculous outcome.”
SCOUTING JETS’ OFFENSE
Defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen knows to expect the best from Aaron Rodgers, even though Sorensen admittingly does not remember playing on the Browns’ special teams in a 2009 game against Rodgers and Green Bay.
“Having one of the best quarterbacks that’s played the game, it does change them a lot,” Sorensen said. “He’s been ready. He came back so fast last year from that injury, so I think we’re going to see his best.”
Sorensen said the Jets’ offense is also bolstered by a dynamic weapon in running back Breece Hall.
HUFANGA’S STATUS
It sounds like safety Hufanga remains limited to individual and scout-team duties as his comeback progresses from last year’s anterior cruciate ligament tear. “He looks good when I see him out there moving around,” Sorensen said. “It’s part of this process, and this is the next step. There are benchmarks they have to hit, and he’s hitting the next one.”
OPENING NIGHT MENU
Aside from Gore’s halftime ceremony to acknowledge Sunday night’s induction to the 49ers’ Hall of Fame, the 49ers have much more on Monday’s agenda, including Boyz II Men singing the national anthem and the San Francisco Firefighters Veterans Association performing the colors. Parking lots open at 1:45 p.m., with gates opening to season-ticket holders at 2:15 p.m. and others an hour later.
