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CONCERN is growing for 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey as he continues to miss time with an Achilles injury.
After missing the first three weeks of the season with the injury, McCaffrey is flying to Germany to seek advice from a specialist.
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McCaffrey is suffering from Achilles tendinitis, and San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that he is off to Europe for further evaluation.
“I know he’s going to see a specialist that I believe can help him with his Achilles process,” Shanahan said on Monday.
“I think he’s doing that over these next few days, and hopefully, it’ll help.”
McCaffrey was hurt early in training camp this offseason, and missed four weeks of practice before making a limited return ahead of the 49ers’ season opener against the New York Jets.
He was scratched for that game at the last minute and hasn’t returned since.
The 2023 Offensive Player of the Year can return in Week 6 of the season, but there is no word whether or not he will actually be ready to play.
Jesse Morse, a sports medicine physician who covers player injuries on social media, shared his perspective on McCaffrey’s injury with a simple statement.
“If your injury is straight forward, you don’t go to Germany,” he wrote.
Morse explained that McCaffrey could be pursing a type of treatment that isn’t offered in the United States.
“There are certain things here in America that we don’t have access to compared to other countries like Germany,” Morse said.
Morse described multiple kinds of treatments involving stem cells that McCaffrey could undergo to accelerate his healing.
He also explained that there could be a further issue inside McCaffrey’s Achilles that affects the structure of the tendon.
Morse’s biggest fear was that without proper treatment, McCaffrey could run the risk of tearing his Achilles, which is why he is out in Europe seeking as strong of a treatment as he can get.
His final opinion was that McCaffrey will likely return anywhere from Week 8 to Week 10 if he does return this season. The running back could also face limited snaps when he returns because of the injury.
“I do not think a Week 6 return is realistic for Christian McCaffrey,” Morse wrote.
NFL important dates
August 1 – Hall of Fame Game – Houston Texans vs Chicago Bears
August 8 – Pre-season begins
August 27 – Deadline for 53-man rosters
September 1 – Final day of pre-season
September 5 – Season opener – Baltimore Ravens vs Kansas City Chiefs
November 5 – Trade deadline
January 5 – Week 18 of regular-season
January 11 – Playoffs begin
February 9 – Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, Louisiana
“Best case scenario in my opinion is him returning between Week 8-10. I think there is a scenario where he doesn’t return for the regular season but could play in the NFL playoffs.
“Feeling the need to go to Germany is a really big deal for the severity of his Achilles issues, and doesn’t bode well for 2024.”
McCaffrey was one of the best players in the NFL last season, and the 49ers are certainly feeling his loss this season.
The 27-year-old had 2,023 total yards and 21 touchdowns last year, making the Pro Bowl, All-Pro team, and winning Offensive Player of the Year.
The 49ers are 1-2 this season without McCaffrey in the backfield.
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