EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has missed a handful of practices with what the team has called tightness and no other reason, coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday.
Unsourced speculation swirled Monday that perhaps McCaffrey's absence was due, in part, to the desire for a contract adjustment given the recent increase in money paid to others at his position. The theory was that the combined $134.25 million deals given to Detroit's Jahmyr Gibbs and Atlanta's Bijan Robinson might have McCaffrey wanting more money.
McCaffrey has two years remaining on the extension he signed in 2024 with cap numbers of $10.86 million this season and $26.41 million in 2027. Asked about that conjecture Tuesday, Shanahan said it was not the case.
"I think they make a lot of assumptions, and that would be one that they're wrong on," Shanahan said after the Niners completed a joint practice with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Shanahan went on to give an update on McCaffrey's status as McCaffrey visited with his family and young daughter on a nearby practice field.