San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, despite their absolute best efforts to give the game away.

San Francisco squeaked by with a 23-20 win, as Jake Moody hit a game-winning field goal as time expired.

The game marked the return of Christian McCaffrey, who had a solid if unspectacular 2024 debut, rushing 13 times for 39 yards while adding six catches for 68 yards.

Fans were just relieved to see him back in action and making an impact:

But the contest also included a San Francisco fumbled punt, three missed field goals by Moody and four defensive penalties on Tampa's game-tying drive late in the fourth quarter. It was sloppy football, and fans took notice of that, too:

A win's a win, and the Niners will take it, ugly as it was. But the 5-4 Niners have plenty to clean up as they make a push for the playoffs in the second half of the season—how has one of the most dominant teams in the NFL last season been so middling this year?

Some of the answers are obvious. San Francisco has dealt with a ton of injuries. The special teams unit has been incredibly poor. Brock Purdy hasn't been bad, but he also hasn't looked like a player capable of elevating an offense to elite levels on his own.

Other answers are murky. Are the Niners suffering from the hangover of being Super Bowl losers last season? How much of a distraction were the offseason holdouts of Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams? Have teams simply started figuring the Niners out?

However you slice it, this team doesn't have the same feel as the dominant group from a year ago. A late-season surge could change that narrative, and having McCaffrey back will be a major help. But deeper issues appear to be lurking under the surface.

San Francisco 49ers star Christian McCaffrey discussed the Achilles issue that forced him to miss the first eight games of the 2024 season on Friday.

"The last eight weeks were extremely unfortunate," McCaffrey said, per ESPN's Nick Wagoner. "For me, it's very tough being injured. It's tough physically, mentally, emotionally, especially when it's just not how you planned it. It wasn't expected. Some stuff just went wrong, but I'm feeling great now. Ready to go."

The All-Pro running back dealt with bilateral Achilles tendinitis that landed him on injured reserve, but he's expected to make his season debut against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed that McCaffrey will be taken off IR on Saturday.

"We'll take him off IR tomorrow, and then he'll be good to go," Shanahan said, via Wagoner. "Unless something crazy happens on this plane ride, he should be good to go tomorrow once he gets off IR."

McCaffrey was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday but was upgraded to full on Friday. He's listed as questionable on San Francisco's injury report, although it's clear that the team is preparing for him to be back on the field.

The 28-year-old is coming off an impressive 2023 campaign, earning the third Pro Bowl nod of his career and winning Offensive Player of the Year honors. He rushed for a league-leading 1,459 yards to go along with 14 touchdowns on the ground.

McCaffrey also made an impact as a receiver, hauling in 67 receptions for 564 yards and seven more scores.

The 49ers have been able to mitigate his absence with strong performances from Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo. Mason has racked up 685 yards in eight appearances, while Guerendo is averaging 6.1 yards per carry as a depth option.

Still, McCaffrey's ability to remain effective as an option in the passing game is one of the major reasons why he's been the focal point of Shanahan's offense. Without him, the 49ers sit at No. 3 in the NFC West with a 4-4 record.

He should be able to make an instant impact against a Buccaneers team that owns the NFL's fifth-worst scoring defense while allowing 130.8 rushing yards per game.

Kickoff on Sunday is at 1 p.m. ET.

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, who missed his team's first eight games with Achilles tendinitis, is expected to return against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after he was activated to the 53-man roster on Saturday.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan first disclosed on Thursday that McCaffrey was in line to return:

The 49ers opened McCaffrey's 21-day practice window on Monday, offering hope that he'd be good to go soon.

Shanahan was encouraged by what he'd seen in practice Wednesday and Thursday, both of which featured the running back turning in limited sessions. And now McCaffrey is in line to play his first game since the Super Bowl last February.

McCaffrey dominated for the NFC champions last year, totaling 2,023 yards from scrimmage and 21 touchdowns in 2023, helping the 49ers win the NFC title. He added 420 total yards and five more scores during the run to the Super Bowl.

The reigning Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year missed all of training camp with the aforementioned injury, but he still appeared good to for the season. However, he was declared out for the team's season opener against the New York Jets, landed on IR and proceeded to miss two months.

In his place, Jordan Mason has excelled with 771 total yards and three touchdowns. He's been efficient on the ground with 685 yards on 134 carries (5.1 YPC). And then there's rookie Isaac Guerendo and his 227 rushing yards on 37 carries for 6.1 YPC.

So the ground game has remained rolling, but welcoming back CMC is certainly a boost for a 4-4 49ers team fighting for an NFC West title. The division is literally separated by one game from first (5-4 Arizona Cardinals) to last (4-5 Seattle Seahawks), and McCaffrey can certainly help vault the 49ers to the top.

For now, he looks set to play Sunday. How much he plays is up for debate, but he's back, and that's huge for the 49ers as they begin the second half of the year.

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey made his return to practice on Monday, with Nick Wagoner of ESPN posting video of the star in action.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported San Francisco is hopeful he can be on the field for its matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

McCaffrey missed the Niners' Week 1 win over the New York Jets due to calf tightness and bilateral Achilles tendinitis and was placed on the injured reserve shortly after in Week 2. By placing him on the IR, San Francisco committed to him missing at least four games, but even after four games had passed the 49ers had not yet activated him.

In late September, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport (h/t NFL.com's Jeremy Bergman) reported McCaffrey went to Germany to receive treatment for his injuries and was planning to return by early November.

Ahead of the Niners' Week 9 bye, ESPN's Nick Wagoner reported "McCaffrey is going to 'hit it hard' this week with some simulated practice workouts this week while the team is on bye. They're aiming to get him back to practice next week if all goes well, per Kyle Shanahan."

The same day, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported McCaffrey was "poised" to be back for Week 10.

In McCaffrey's absence, the 49ers have looked to Jordan Mason in the backfield and he has been solid with 685 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 134 carries. As good as Mason has been, San Francisco is eagerly awaiting McCaffrey's return.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan offered a promising update on injured running back Christian McCaffrey while speaking to KNBR on Tuesday, suggesting that he remains on track to return to practice following this week's bye.

"We hope it does go that way," he said (h/t Kyle Bonilla of 49ers Webzone). "It's been trending that way, and it's been ever since we shut him down and gone through these real slow steps. It's getting there. He hasn't had a setback, and hopefully, he has a real good week, and we can get him into practice next week, which obviously would be huge for us."

McCaffrey, 28, has missed the entire 2024 season and has been on injured reserve since Sept. 14 due to bilateral Achilles tendinitis. That has kept one of the NFL's most dynamic playmakers off the field.

In his absence—and because Elijah Mitchell is out for the season with a hamstring issue—the Niners have been forced to rely on players like Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo in the backfield, while wideout Deebo Samuel has also contributed as a dual-threat option.

The team's vaunted rushing attack hasn't taken much of a hit. Mason has rushed for 685 yards and three touchdowns, Guerendo has added 227 yards and a score and the team's 159 rushing yards per game ranks fourth in the NFL behind only the Baltimore Ravens (200 YPG), Philadelphia Eagles (165.9 YPG) and Washington Commanders (165.8 YPG).

But McCaffrey is nearly as dynamic a receiver as he is a runner, and San Francisco has dealt with injuries to Brandon Aiyuk (out for the year with a torn ACL), Samuel and Jauan Jennings throughout the season. Rookie Ricky Pearsall also missed the first six games of the season while recovering from gunshot wounds.

The Niners have been beset by injuries, in other words, and a team with Super Bowl aspirations has started 4-4 on the season. With a Week 9 bye upcoming, however, the team will have a chance to get a bit healthier.

And McCaffrey appears on track to potentially return for a Week 10 tilt against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His return will be very much welcomed for quarterback Brock Purdy, who has seen his supporting cast decimated by injury this season.

The San Francisco 49ers announced on Tuesday that the team is mourning the sudden death of cornerback Charvarius Ward's one-year-old daughter, Amani Joy.

"We are heartbroken that our beautiful baby girl, Amani Joy passed away on Monday morning," Ward posted on Instagram.

"She was the best blessing we could have asked for, and her joyous spirit made us smile from ear to ear. She taught us to have patience, trust, and a positive outlook on life. She showed us true strength and bravery. She overcame adversity at a young age and was always happy, lighting up every room with her smile. Having the privilege of being her parents and seeing the world through her eyes has changed us for the better. She will forever be daddy's best friend and mommy's little girl. We'll miss you and love you forever, Amani Joy."

Ward told Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle in February that a blood test revealed Down syndrome and an ultrasound exposed a heart defect before his daughter was born. Still, he and Monique stayed positive, and the birth of Amani created a shift in his mood as he went on to earn his first career Pro Bowl selection last season.

"It was a huge change in his mood," Monique told Branch. "His confidence changed. He was a lot happier. He comes in every day and she lights up. She's smiling. She hears his voice and she will literally look around like, 'Where is this man?'

"For any father, especially when you're like, 'Dang we're supposed to be best friends,' and then to see your child light up when she sees you? I think that just sparked something in him. It gave him that motivation. Like, 'We're good. Life is good now. That's all I was missing.'"

Ward, who said he used to be "one of the most stubborn people in the world," explained that caring for Amani softened him, making him more patient and empathetic.

"It's made my heart bigger," Ward said. "I was never mean to my mom as a kid. But I'm nicer to my mom. I'm nicer to all the women around me. I try to treat people a little bit better. Because, obviously, she has Down syndrome. And she's probably going to have a little mistreatment going through life with a disability. People might try to bully her a little bit. So I just want to treat people well and, hopefully, people will treat her good."

Ward and the 49ers will be on a bye in Week 9 before facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Nov. 10.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk posted a video to his YouTube channel on Monday, providing an update on his recovery after tearing his ACL and MCL last Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.

"I came to give you all a little update on one week, (with) a torn ACL, MCL, messed up meniscus," Aiyuk said Monday (0:27 mark). "Hurting. Hur-ting. Hur-ting. I'm trying to walk around a little bit today, weight-bearing a little bit today, a little bit. But, still scared to put more weight on there.

"Long-ass week. We got a long way to go, but we're still blessed, we're still here."

Aiyuk suffered his injury in the 49ers' 28-18 loss in Week 7 at Levi's Stadium after catching a 15-yard pass from quarterback Brock Purdy and taking a hard hit to the knee from Chiefs safety Chamorri Conner.

Before his injury, Aiyuk had accumulated 374 yards on 25 receptions this season with zero touchdowns for the 49ers.

With surgery on the horizon, Aiyuk has a significant rehabilitation process ahead in the coming months.

"I'm on to another week of treatment, another week of trying to get back right," Aiyuk said. "Surgery soon. But we're just going to keep grinding, man."

The 49ers will be without Aiyuk for the remainder of the season as yet another player joins their injured reserve list.

The team heads into a bye week after defeating the Dallas Cowboys 30-24.

The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Dallas Cowboys yet again Sunday.

And tight end George Kittle wore his controversial anti-Dallas shirt yet again.

Maybe.

Matt Lively of CBS Sports Bay Area shared an interaction between Kittle and Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson in which the former said, "I wore mine just for good luck, but I didn't show it" in a possible reference to his shirt that says "F--k Dallas."

Fans weighed in on the possibility:

Kittle wore a shirt under his jersey that said "F--k Dallas" during a game between the two teams last season and even showed it to the crowd. The NFL did not appreciate that move and fined him $13,699 as a result:

The tight end was surely fired up in that game, as the 49ers won 42-10 behind his three touchdowns.

"One hundred percent," Kittle said last year when discussing if he would ever repeat the shirt, per ESPN's Nick Wagoner. "I'd do it again."

He might just have to continue wearing it because he was unstoppable once again in Sunday's matchup.

Kittle posted six catches for 128 yards and one touchdown in the fourth straight win for the 49ers over the Cowboys. So the shirt might just be good luck, as he told Ferguson in the video.

The San Francisco 49ers are entering their bye week following Sunday's win over the Dallas Cowboys, which means running back Christian McCaffrey could return soon from the calf and Achilles injuries that landed him on injured reserve.

ESPN's Nick Wagoner reported "McCaffrey is going to 'hit it hard' this week with some simulated practice workouts this week while the team is on bye. They're aiming to get him back to practice next week if all goes well, per Kyle Shanahan."

ESPN's Adam Schefter noted the running back could play in the team's next game:

Following a dominant 2023 season, McCaffrey seemed poised for a repeat in 2024, but shortly before the start of the campaign, he was diagnosed with calf tightness and bilateral Achilles tendinitis, and he somewhat surprisingly did not play in the team's Week 1 game.

McCaffrey was then placed on IR prior to the Niners' Week 2 game, meaning he would have to miss at least four games, but he was not activated after the minimum four games.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport (h/t NFL.com's Jeremy Bergman) reported in late September that McCaffrey visited Germany to receive a treatment "similar to a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection," and he was aiming to return by early November.

During McCaffrey's absence, Jordan Mason quickly emerged as the Niners' new lead back, rushing for 609 yards and three touchdowns over the first six games of the season.

However, Mason suffered a sprained shoulder in a Week 6 win over the Seattle Seahawks, pressing rookie Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor into more significant action.

While the 49ers have an offensive line and an offensive system capable of getting the most out of many NFL-caliber running backs, none have the same type of skill set as McCaffrey.

The 28-year-old veteran began his NFL career with the Carolina Panthers, earning two Pro Bowl nods and one First Team All-Pro selection in parts of six seasons with the franchise.

Carolina traded McCaffrey to the Niners during the 2022 season, and he then proceeded to enjoy arguably the best season of his career in 2023.

McCaffrey set a new career high with 1,459 rushing yards and scored 14 rushing touchdowns, while adding 67 receptions for 564 yards and another seven scores.

He was named to the Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro, while winning the Offensive Player of the Year Award and finishing third in the NFL MVP voting.

The 49ers have sorely missed McCaffrey's versatility, and his potential return could provide quite a boost as they look to battle for playoff positioning in the second half of the season.