Kyle Shanahan makes worrisome Christian McCaffrey admission

Once it's all said and done, Christian McCaffrey will go down as one of the greatest players in San Francisco 49ers history.

McCaffrey is the most dangerous dual-threat running back in the game, and while injury concerns will always linger, he'll be on the field for as many snaps as his team needs him when he's healthy.

However, that might not be the best way to take care of a franchise star, and head coach Kyle Shanahan is well aware of that.

In an interview with Tom Tolbert, the 49ers head coach tipped his hat to McCaffrey for carrying such a big load in 2025, adding that it wasn't fair to him and hoped to take it easier on him in 2026.

Kyle Shanahan doesn't want Christian McCaffrey to do all the heavy lifting

“Last year was the worst we had been at it,” Shanahan told Tolbert. “One of the most amazing years I have seen by a guy in terms of just heart. The fact that he could get his body ready every Sunday for 17 weeks was amazing to me. And the load he had to carry with all the injuries and issues we had at receiver, he was such a pivotal part in the pass game and obviously the run game. For him to be able to make it through there was huge. But that’s not what we want for him. I want him to have more juice. To be more fresher. He doesn’t have to take that beating when it’s unnecessary. I’m hoping we can have some other guys step up more this year.”

McCaffrey led the team with 413 touches last season. Per Pro Football Reference, he amassed 1,202 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns on 313 carries while adding 102 catches for 925 receiving yards and seven scores. 

The former Offensive Player of the Year added an AP Comeback Player of the Year trophy to his cabinet for his efforts.

That said, as impressive a campaign as he had, there's only so much wear and tear any player can endure, and he's always dealt with durability concerns.

The 49ers have struggled to stay healthy for most of the Shanahan era, and wearing out their most dangerous weapon clearly isn't the wisest idea.