Matt LaFleur isn't afraid to give credit where credit is due.
Ahead of the 49ers’ trip to Lambeau Field on Sunday, the Green Bay Packers coach gave San Francisco’s dynamic backfield duo its flowers.
After all, while Christian McCaffrey remained sidelined for the first half of the 2024 NFL season, Jordan Mason broke out, racking up 685 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns on 134 carries.
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LaFleur noticed that and recognizes the threat a McCaffrey-Mason backfield presents for Green Bay.
“I was very impressed with Jordan Mason,” LaFleur told reporters Friday. “I think he’s a really talented back who maximizes his opportunities. The way I look at it is it kind of is a two-headed monster.”
Despite McCaffrey coming off a 2023 season in which he led the league in yards from scrimmage and was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year, the 28-year-old spent the first eight weeks of the season recovering from bilateral Achilles tendinitis.
Mason took advantage of the opportunity during McCaffrey’s absence despite injuring his shoulder in the first half of San Francisco's Week 6 win over the Seattle Seahawks and re-aggravating the injury in Week 8.
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LaFleur, however, admits the rise of Mason is telling of the effective coaching from Bobby Turner, who has served as the 49ers running backs coach since 2017.
“Really, whoever they’ve had in there over the course of their time [under] Bobby Turner, [who] is their long-term running back coach,” LaFleur added. “I’ve got as much respect for Coach T as anybody in this league.
“He always finds his diamonds in the rough and is able to get the most out of his backs.”
Under the guidance of Turner, it’s no surprise to LaFleur that the 49ers count on more than one dangerous running back.
“Obviously, we all know Christian McCaffrey - the talent that he is and what he’s been able to produce over the years,” LaFleur concluded. “But it’s not a surprise, to me, that they have multiple backs within their system that are capable of going out there and playing at a high level.”
Now, it’s on LaFleur and Co. to find a way to contain the “two-headed monster” on Sunday – and it won’t be easy.