49ers working again Christian McCaffrey’s absence from “Monday Night time Soccer” got here as a shock to many followers, however not his teammates.
Backup working again Jordan Mason revealed to ESPN’s Lisa Salters after the sport that he had been knowledgeable of his beginning function as early as Friday.
“When did I discover out? Perhaps Friday evening,” Mason stated after the sport.
McCaffrey was anticipated to play, in line with reviews within the lead-up to the sport, as he recovered from an early August calf situation.
Then on Monday evening, about 90 minutes earlier than kickoff, it was all of a sudden reported that McCaffrey could be inactive.
If Mason was actually informed that McCaffrey wouldn’t be beginning on Friday, the 49ers could be topic to fines and punishment by the league workplace for concealing an damage.
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan vehemently denied Mason’s feedback instantly following the sport.
“I by no means informed Jordan he was going to start out,” Shanahan stated after the sport. “I informed him he needed to be prepared a bunch, however it would possibly’ve been Bobby [Turner] or any individual attempting to pump him up. He knew he was going to should play quite a bit, it wasn’t going to be like common.”
Reporters requested Mason through the postgame media availability when he was informed that McCaffrey could be sitting towards the Jets.
“That query proper there may be why I’m mad, that’s why I don’t like actually speaking to media as a result of when you say one factor mistaken,.. and you realize… we’ll skip that query,” Mason stated.
Mason greatly surprised an overmatched Jets protection through the sport, carrying the ball 28 occasions for 147 yards and a landing whereas additionally catching his lone goal for six yards.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter additionally reported simply previous to sport time on Monday that McCaffrey’s calf situation tightened up on him on Friday, and he’s not simply liable to lacking Week 1 but in addition sitting Week 2 towards the Vikings.
“Friday, Christian McCaffrey pulled himself off form,” Schefter stated. “They weren’t overly involved, they didn’t suppose it was an enormous deal, they thought and anticipated that he would have the ability to go tonight.
“The difficulty was he got here in at present for therapy and the calf nonetheless was tight. Now let’s take into account he mainly didn’t observe all summer time lengthy it was not only a calf however it was additionally his Achilles so you may have two points right here. They determined, within the curiosity of a protracted season, to carry him out tonight.
“Not solely is Christian McCaffrey out tonight, however there may be additionally an actual likelihood that he’s not going to play on Sunday both. They play at Minnesota on turf on a shorter week… He’s inactive tonight and it appears like a extremely sturdy chance he won’t play Sunday both.
San Francisco fared superb with out him in Week 1, snagging a 32-19 win over the Jets, and needs to be large favorites over the Vikings no matter who begins at working again.
