SANTA CLARA — Running back Christian McCaffrey arrived at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday long before his 49ers teammates.
McCaffrey appears to be eyeing a post-bye-week return to action. He missed most of training camp and the regular-season opener before he was placed on injured reserve with bilateral Achilles tendinitis.
The 49ers are set to play the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, and McCaffrey was at the 49ers’ home stadium at least five hours before kickoff. He was observed going to the team’s practice field and weight room area, likely as part of his physical therapy routine.
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Christian McCaffrey arrived at Levi's Stadium well ahead of his #49ers teammates for an early morning workout. He continues physical therapy of his bilateral Achilles tendinitis with an eye on returning to action after the bye week.
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) October 20, 2024
On Friday, 49ers general manager John Lynch said on his KNBR radio segment that McCaffrey is progressing “incredibly well."
"It's all about the ramp up, increasing the activity, making sure that there's no setbacks,” Lynch said. “I could just tell people he's on a good track with that. No timelines or anything, but he's doing a little bit more.”
The 49ers will have their bye in Week 9, following their next two games — against Kansas City and the Dallas Cowboys. When the 49ers return from that break, McCaffrey could be under consideration to return from injured reserve.
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Lynch explained that McCaffrey’s physical therapy is staggered, so he might have a more intense workout followed by days of recovery to avoid the possibility of over-exertion.
“When you can start to stack those (good days) and not have setbacks, that's a good thing, and that's kind of the direction he's trending in,” Lynch said.
McCaffrey, known for his intense workout habits, was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year last season. He rushed for 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns while catching 67 passes for 564 yards and seven touchdowns.