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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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At 30 years old, Christian McCaffrey has officially entered the danger zone for NFL running backs.
The San Francisco 49ers star turned 30 on June 7, and is coming off a 2025 season in which he saw an enormous workload. He led all players with 413 total touches (311 carries, 102 catches) and was on the field for 83% of the 49ers' offensive snaps.
As a result, there's already speculation about whether a dropoff is inevitable.
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Yet the early signs in training camp suggest McCaffrey still has plenty of juice left. He participated in all three of San Francisco's open practices and has reportedly looked like his usual self throughout.
He played all 17 games last season, rushing for 1,202 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns, along with 924 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns, finishing as the team's leading pass catcher.
That workload would raise concerns for any running back entering his 30s. But McCaffrey was quick to push back on the narrative Wednesday.
"I don't make a big deal out of the whole age thing," McCaffrey said. "That does nothing for me. I just think about continuing to grow, continuing to go out there and ball."
"It's funny, you turn 30, and people bring it up, and then two days ago I was 29. So for me, I just keep focusing on getting better. That's all I've ever done. That's all I'll ever do ... I have no intention of slowing down."
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McCaffrey doesn't need to prove he can handle another 400+-touch season in 2026. The 49ers brought in more depth at receiver with future Hall of Famer Mike Evans and veteran Christian Kirk, and they'll also get back a healthy Brock Purdy and George Kittle.
They also took Ole Miss wideout De'Zhaun Stribling in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, selected Indiana running back Kaelon Black in the third round, and still have the speedy Isaac Guerendo in the backfield as well.
But San Francisco's offense is obviously at its best when McCaffrey is running the show. The challenge now is finding the balance between keeping McCaffrey fresh and still relying on him as one of the NFL's most dangerous offensive weapons.
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