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San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey
Christian McCaffrey missing a few August practices because of “tightness” should be one of the least interesting developments of NFL training camp. Instead, the San Francisco 49ers suddenly had people wondering if their superstar running back was secretly staging a contract hold-in while pretending his muscles were being annoying.
The theory became believable for one obvious reason: timing. McCaffrey stopped practicing after Aug. 8 right as Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs and Jonathan Taylor reset the running-back market, leaving the former highest-paid back at the position sitting fifth in average annual salary and staring at a contract with virtually no guaranteed money left.
Christian McCaffrey’s Timing Made The Theory Almost Too Easy
Mike Florio and Chris Simms helped push the possibility that McCaffrey’s mysterious tightness could actually be a quiet contract play.
It was not the craziest conspiracy theory ever cooked up.
McCaffrey signed a two-year, $38 million extension in 2024 that carried a $19 million annual average and made him the NFL’s highest-paid running back at the time. That number has since been passed by Gibbs at $22.5 million, Robinson at $22.25 million, Taylor at $22 million and Saquon Barkley at $20.6 million.
The guarantee situation was even more interesting.
McCaffrey already received a $10.55 million option bonus for 2026, but the remainder of his compensation this season and his $17.5 million scheduled for 2027 are not guaranteed. He is also 30 years old, which means there probably are not many more opportunities coming to walk into a front office and politely request another enormous pile of guaranteed cash.
Then he missed five straight practices with an injury the team described only as “tightness.”
You can see how the corkboard and red string came out.
Ian Rapoport And Kyle Shanahan Killed The Fun
Unfortunately for anyone hoping for some premium preseason contract drama, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Monday that McCaffrey’s physical issue is legitimate and specifically not a hold-in for a new deal.
Rapoport said there had been some contract discussion during the offseason but nothing substantial developed, and McCaffrey’s current absence is about his health.
Kyle Shanahan then took another shovel to the conspiracy Tuesday.
Asked directly about the hold-in speculation, Shanahan said people were making assumptions and “that would be one that they’re wrong.” He added that McCaffrey is dealing only with tightness and suggested the running back would probably be practicing if this were an actual game week.
So, no secret strike.
No fake hamstring.
No McCaffrey sitting in the trainer’s room refreshing Spotrac while Gibbs signs for another $3.5 million per year.
Still, the fact the theory sounded remotely plausible says plenty about what happened to the running-back market in roughly two weeks.
McCaffrey spent years being the financial exception at a position the NFL had seemingly decided was interchangeable. He signed his $19 million-per-year extension only two summers ago and immediately reclaimed the top spot.
Now four running backs make more annually.
McCaffrey apparently is actually tight.
The market around him is what suddenly got very loose.