Most San Francisco 49ers fans were thrilled to hear that the team had signed star running back Christian McCaffrey to a contract extension, ensuring his time in the Bay Area continues for years to come. ESPN journalist and on-air personality Mina Kimes recently praised the signing, feeling that it is well-deserved considering how accomplished McCaffrey has been with the 49ers. Last season, McCaffrey racked up 2,023 scrimmage yards and 21 total touchdowns, earning NFL Offensive Player of the Year, Pro Bowl, and All-Pro honors.
Kimes noted that McCaffrey's arrival in the Bay Area made stopping the 49ers offense even more challenging. "I think with McCaffrey, the reason why we all agree he deserves this and why we talk about him like he's a unicorn is not just that he catches passes," Kimes said on NFL Live . "There are other running backs who catch passes, but he does everything at an extremely high level.
These aren't just checkdowns. He's running routes. He has to be accounted for in coverage, option routes.
He's got incredible hands. "When he runs between the tackles into stacked boxes, he is still one of the best running backs in the league, and he can block. And what that means, functionally, for [head coach] Kyle Shanahan, is when he is on the field in their infamous 21 personnel package with two backs, nobody knows what the hell they're going to do because of McCaffrey, because he's a threat to do anything at any time.
" In addition to his NFL-leading 1,459 rushing yards .
