Why Gore believes CMC should decide his 49ers workload this season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Christian McCaffrey is the 49ers‘ MVP and, because of his relentless work ethic, no one doubts he’ll recover from the strained calf that made him miss most of training camp.
However, how San Francisco should use McCaffrey is widely debated. Should he continue to be a three-down back, or should he see fewer snaps?
Legendary 49ers running back Frank Gore, who often shouldered a heavy workload himself, explained his stance Friday on KNBR’s “Murph and Markus.”
“We got to let him decide that,” Gore told Brian Murphy and Markus Boucher about McCaffrey’s touch count. “One thing I know about McCaffrey … the way he attacks the offseason, he attacks it the right way. I just think we need to let him decide, get touches the way he wants to.
“He is getting older at the position. [But because of] his offseason and the way he attacks practices, he should be fine, man. I’d let him decide how he wants to touch the rock.”
Gore will be inducted into the 49ers Hall of Fame at halftime of Monday night’s game against the New York Jets. The franchise’s all-time leading rusher knows what it’s like to be an every-down back, so his words have weight.
Gore believes the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year should decide his own fate, and it’s a hard take to rebuke.
McCaffrey, the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year, led the league in touches (339) and yards from scrimmage (2,023) last season, and has 2,205 rushing yards in his two seasons with the Red and Gold. His body probably could use a break, but it will be up to him and coach Kyle Shanahan to decide how he’ll be used this season.
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