The San Francisco 49ers running back was voted the NFL Comeback Player of the Year for the 2025 season, with the award being granted to him Thursday at the NFL Honors ceremony.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs, Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott were the other finalists.
McCaffrey missed all but four games in 2024, with bilateral Achilles tendinitis sidelining him for the start of the season and a posterior cruciate ligament injury keeping him out at the end.
But in a year in which the 49ers were dealt repeated blows of bad injury luck, McCaffrey managed to stay healthy and keep the offense humming. The all-purpose threat ranked second in yards from scrimmage (2,126) while leading the league in touches (413).
Behind McCaffrey’s contributions, the 49ers powered all the way to the divisional round of the NFC playoffs despite their widespread personnel losses.
His performance also earned him consideration for MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, for both of which he was selected as a finalist.
‘I think this was one of the most impressive seasons by an individual player ever,’ 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said n January. ‘Just in terms of what a warrior and man he is week in, week out. … Christian finds a way every week. He commits himself 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to get his body possible to go out there and compete. I’ve never been around anything like that.’