SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- After a lost season marked by injury and frustration before it even started, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is doing all he can to ensure that 2025 looks a lot more like 2023 than 2024.
Last season, McCaffrey began dealing with bilateral Achilles tendinitis in the early days of training camp, an injury that eventually cost him the first eight games of the season. He returned, but that lasted only three-plus games before a posterior cruciate ligament injury in his right knee ended his season in early December.
Which is why McCaffrey and the Niners have worked together to come up with a plan to not only keep him healthy for the Sept. 7 opener against the Seattle Seahawks but also keep him that way as long as possible. It's a plan that, on Sunday, included McCaffrey not participating at all before the Niners have their first fully padded practice on Monday. He also was limited to just individual work in the team's first session on Wednesday before doing everything in Thursday and Friday practices.
According to McCaffrey and coach Kyle Shanahan, it's a similar blueprint to what they did in 2023 when McCaffrey won the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year award.
"This has been part of the plan," Shanahan said. "Christian gets frustrated with it. He wants to be out there; he wants to do everything. But Christian also is very smart and knows what the deal is and knows that we do need to protect him from himself. So, he's on board with it all. But I know he is feeling good and when he feels good, he doesn't like days off, but he understands why he's got [to do it]."
Since arriving in San Francisco via midseason trade in 2022, McCaffrey has earned a reputation for his extensive workout and recovery methods. That relentless approach has, on occasion, left Shanahan to mention how important it is to ensure McCaffrey isn't overdoing it with his workouts or his rehab when injured.
McCaffrey said Sunday he understands the need to dial him back now so he can be better down the road. "Just trust the plan," McCaffrey said. "They've written up a really good plan. Just trust it and do everything I can every day to get better."
After finishing last season on injured reserve, McCaffrey made it through the offseason program with no issues and was fully cleared to go at the start of this camp. But he, along with defensive end Nick Bosa and left tackle Trent Williams, are being preserved either with extra days off or by limiting their participation in team drills.
During the team's 40 days away, McCaffrey continued training but also had a significant life event -- the birth of his and wife Olivia's daughter, Colette -- to push him toward the start of this training camp.
"It's been such a blessing," McCaffrey said. I've been on cloud nine ever since she was born, and it's definitely been special for me. Life-changing, that's for sure. And I'm grateful for my wife. She does a great job letting me still keep football going and working my butt off, and so it's been great."
While McCaffrey did not practice Sunday, the Niners continued to rotate through receivers either returning from or dealing with injuries. San Francisco activated second-year wideout Ricky Pearsall from the physically unable to perform list before Sunday's practice, and he participated in his first workout of this camp.
Pearsall did everything in individual drills before he took a limited number of snaps in 11-on-11. "I think he got like eight reps today," Shanahan said. "[We'll] see how he did with recovery stuff, but I didn't hear any complaints. Good first day back."
Pearsall's return was soured a bit by the midpractice departure of veteran wideout Jauan Jennings. Shanahan said after the practice that Jennings left with a calf issue. Shanahan did not yet know the extent of that injury but indicated it could be similar to the one that bothered Jennings in the spring.
The 49ers are also without receiver Jacob Cowing and cornerback Renardo Green because of hamstring injuries. Shanahan said that duo is expected back around the week of the Aug. 16 preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
One more notable return in Sunday's practice? Quarterback Brock Purdy, who had an excused absence Friday for what the team called a personal matter. Purdy took every snap with the No. 1 offense Sunday.
"All good news," Shanahan said. "I'm sure he will tell you guys when he talks to you guys next. Brock is back and didn't miss a beat, and it was a good day off for him."