The confusing mystery of a superstar

The ominous legend of the Madden curse that circulates among NFL fans seems to be coming true once again. After Christian McCaffrey, the star running back of the San Francisco 49ers, appeared on the cover of the renowned video game this year, he is currently suffering from persistent Achilles tendonitis. As a result, he missed the season opener against the New York Jets (32:19).

The so-called “Madden Curse” states that players who appear on the cover of the game will suffer bad luck or injury the following season. McCaffrey, one of the league’s best running backs, appears to be the latest victim. He has been working on a strained Achilles tendon since early August, forcing him to watch the season opener from the sidelines and cheer on his backup.

The star running back himself reported that he woke up on the day of the game with the firm intention of playing against the Jets. However, his ongoing injury problems led to a performance limitation that made it impossible for him to play. The decision not to play was a “group decision”. The injury raises the question of whether the 28-year-old will be able to play for a longer period of time or whether the team will have to plan without its star.

After McCaffrey’s injury, Jordan Mason, who was probably only known to a few players, moved into the starting lineup and impressed with a strong performance. With 147 rushing yards and a touchdown, he impressively demonstrated his abilities and could prove to be an important factor for the team this season.

But a superstar like McCaffrey, who had 1,727 rushing yards, 716 receiving yards and a total of 26 touchdowns last season (including the playoffs), is no easy task. Mason was actually only supposed to serve as a backup for the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year this year. The undrafted free agent played college football at Georgia Tech and signed a contract in San Francisco in 2022.

The 25-year-old emphasized that he has prepared for this opportunity through close collaboration with McCaffrey and hard work. It remains to be seen whether he will be able to achieve a similar success story – as presented by Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy. Purdy was selected by the 49ers in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft as the last player taken and is now set as the starting quarterback.

In addition to the injury issue, the 49ers are facing a possible investigation by the league. Mason’s statement that he knew days before the game that he would play could indicate that the franchise violated league rules by failing to report McCaffrey’s health status in a timely manner.

Coach Kyle Shanahan has so far vehemently denied the allegations. “He certainly didn’t know beforehand that he would be playing.” “He only experienced it today,” said the head coach about the allegations. A violation could lead to fines or other sanctions, but as things stand, the NFL will not initiate an investigation.

It is still unclear whether the 2017 first-round pick will be able to play against the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday. According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, it is “rather unlikely.” This week, McCaffrey was only able to take part in training to a limited extent. The 49ers want to prioritize the long-term health of their running back and not burn him out prematurely.

Shanahan emphasized that McCaffrey’s health is the top priority. Since the upcoming games of the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Rams will be played on artificial turf, which is considered more prone to injury, a comeback for McCaffrey seems realistic in week four at the earliest.

The 49ers might prefer to let him fully recover from the injury so that he can play in the playoffs without any problems. In San Francisco, the Super Bowl is the highest priority.

The star player also struck a similar note: “It was a good decision, a very difficult decision,” he said on the sidelines of training: “I hate not playing. But I see it as a move that we can hopefully benefit from for the rest of the season.”

If McCaffrey is out for a longer period of time, the 49ers may have to rely on other players like Mason. It remains to be seen whether McCaffrey will fully recover or even require surgery. His outstanding skills as a runner and pass receiver make him one of the best offensive players in the league and a longer period of absence would weaken the team considerably.

It is currently not possible to make a serious prediction as to when McCaffrey will be able to return. What is clear, however, is that his injury could affect the 49ers’ plans and possibly even jeopardize their title ambitions.