NFL Rumors: Christian McCaffrey, 49ers Agree to 2-Year, $38M Contract Extension

San Francisco 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey is coming off a dominant season in which he was named 2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, and he was rewarded for his efforts.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday that McCaffrey received a two-year contract extension from the 49ers that has an average value of $19 million per year. The deal will give McCaffrey an additional $8 million over what he was scheduled to make and adds $24 million in guarantees.

As NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero noted, Tuesday’s deal keeps McCaffrey in San Francisco through 2027 and makes him the highest-paid running back in the NFL for at least the next five years.

ESPN’s Nick Wagoner noted that McCaffrey was in attendance for the start of 49ers mandatory minicamp on Tuesday following the completion of his deal. He had skipped the voluntary portion of the team’s offseason workouts.

McCaffrey was the focal point of San Francisco’s offense in 2023, rushing for a career-high 1,459 rushing yards with 14 touchdowns while adding 564 receiving yards and seven more scores. He led the league with 2,023 yards from scrimmage, the second time in his career that he finished with over 2,000 total yards. He helped fuel the 49ers’ run to Super Bowl LVIII, where they fell to the Kansas City Chiefs.

McCaffrey’s presence makes San Francisco one of the top contenders in the NFC once again in 2024, but the team has more to address this offseason. 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk is seeking a new contract and made it clear that he is unhappy with his situation by skipping the start of mandatory minicamp. He risks fines of over $100,000 if he doesn’t report over the next three days.

Still, San Francisco should feel satisfied with their deal to keep McCaffrey happy, as he is set to be the team’s workhorse once again this season.