San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has missed most of training camp with a calf injury, which has certainly been one of the main topics of conversation as of late. However, it hasn't been the topic of conversation.
If it weren't for a couple other major storylines, McCaffrey's injury would take top priority. Of course, the Niners have had to work through two separate contract situations with both offensive tackle Trent Williams and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk; the latter of whom may even be traded.
As for McCaffrey, though, he has a history of injury concerns, so this isn't a situation fans are taking too lightly. There is reason to be a little worried about arguably the best running back in the NFL.
Fortunately, though, neither McCaffrey nor head coach Kyle Shanahan seem to be that worried about the calf. In fact, Shanahan didn't seem worried at all when he spoke to the media on his starting running back, this week. He spoke highly of McCaffrey's obsession with the game of football and how the veteran is doing everything he can not only to get back on the field, but to be the best player possible.
How lighthearted was Shanahan? The head coach took an opportunity to poke fun at McCaffrey at the expense of potentially peeving off his wife, Olivia.
"He's probably walking down the aisle to get married, he's probably thinking about his feet and how to do routes. No offense Olivia (Culpo), but, he's obsessed with it," Shanahan told the media.
Hold the phone. Did Shanahan forget McCaffrey was already married? The way he spoke seemed to insinuate McCaffrey was not yet married.
All jokes aside, Shanahan did not seem overly concerned about McCaffrey's calf, and again, neither is the man himself.
Will Christian McCaffrey play Week 1?
Even dating back to a week and a half ago, McCaffrey went on the air and had this to say in an interview that appeared on SiriusXM NFL Radio:
“If we had a game, I would play," McCaffrey said.
Obviously, McCaffrey is a competitor and wants to be out on that field. But, he's also a smart player who has been through his fair share of injuries. He knows his body. So, for him to say that he'd be out there if the team had a game, it's safe to be able to trust him at this point.
And, again, this interview was well over a week ago. So, there is no reason to believe McCaffrey won't be ready to go come Week 1 against the New York Jets.
For now, keeping him on the sideline and well-rested appears to be the game plan, and a good one, at that.