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Christian McCaffrey returned from leg injuries with a vengeance this season.
A calf injury in August 2024 that was supposed to keep the running back out “a few weeks” caused him to miss the first eight games of the season. He then suffered a knee injury after just four games and sat out the rest of the year.
But this season he was his usual self, and that has resulted in quite a lot of recognition from the media.
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Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after his touchdown reception against the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth quarter of the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
With his performance after last year’s disappointment, McCaffrey is naturally in the running – and probably favorite – to be the league’s Comeback Player of the Year. But that’s not all.
McCaffrey is the only non-quarterback who is an MVP finalist, and he is also in the running for his second Offensive Player of the Year Award in three years after posting 2,126 scrimmage yards and scoring 17 total touchdowns.
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey warms up before a game against the Denver Broncos at Levi’s Stadium. (David Gonzales/Imagn Images)
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Only Adrian Peterson in 2012 and Joe Burrow last year have been finalists for all three awards in one season (Drew Brees finished second for all in 2006, but the finalists were not named then). Peterson was named MVP and OPOY while finishing second in Comeback Player of the Year, while Burrow was Comeback Player of the Year for the second time in his career, which he joked wasn’t exactly ideal.
McCaffrey finished 76 yards shy of his second 1,000-1,000 season, but he joined the fraternity in 2019 along with Roger Craig and Marshall Faulk. However, he had by far the most receptions of any running back with 102 – Bijan Robinson was second with 79.
Earlier this season, McCaffrey was named a first-team All-Pro for the third time in his career. McCaffrey is one of eight players with three or more 2,000-yard scrimmage seasons. Faulk, Eric Dickerson and Walter Payton each had four.
In addition, McCaffrey is also a finalist for the NFL’s Salute to Service Award, presented by USAA, which “[uses] the power of soccer to connect with, empower, value and uplift our service members, veterans and their families.”
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey celebrates after scoring against the Arizona Cardinals in the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)
McCaffrey will find out his fate for all four awards at the NFL Honors in the Bay Area during Super Bowl week on Feb. 5.
