A week after failing to break the NFL record for consecutive games with a touchdown, 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey found another way to write himself into the history books on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Levi’s Stadium.
With a 2-yard catch late in the first half, McCaffrey recorded the 484th reception of his NFL career, surpassing 49ers star Roger Craig for the most receptions by a running back in the first seven seasons of NFL history achieved.
This wasn’t the first time that McCaffrey’s outstanding play landed him in top form with Craig, as both dynamic backs stood alone and Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk became the only running back in NFL history to have 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards recorded in the same season.
McCaffrey wasted no time in building on his impressive results heading into the 2023 season. He extended his league-leading tally in touchdowns among running backs with his fifth aerial after hitting Brock Purdy on a 4-yard touchdown late in the first quarter of Sunday’s game with Tampa Bay.
The 49ers’ superstar running back holds the position with a league-high 339 receiving yards entering Week 11 while leading the NFL in rushing yards with 747 yards entering Sunday’s game.
If McCaffrey can maintain this torrid pace for the remainder of the 2023 NFL season, he could become the first running back to lead the position in rushing and receiving yards since 2010, when former Houston Texans star Arian Foster that feat of 1,616 rushing yards accomplished 604 receiving yards.
McCaffrey has put up Hall of Fame-worthy numbers since being acquired from the 49ers before the 2022 NFL trade deadline, recording over 2,000 all-purpose yards and 24 touchdowns in 21 appearances for San Francisco.
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