San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey celebrates his touchdown run with George Kittle in 2nd quarter against Atlanta Falcons during NFL game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, October 19, 2025.
Scott Strazzante/S.F. Chronicle
Christian McCaffrey (23) runs into the end zone for his touchdown in the first half as the San Francisco 49ers played the Atlanta Falcons at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025.
Carlos Avila Gonzalez/S.F. Chronicle
Christian McCaffrey (23) sommersaults in the end zone after his touchdown in the first half as the San Francisco 49ers played the Atlanta Falcons at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025.
Carlos Avila Gonzalez/S.F. Chronicle
San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey celebrates his 4th quarter rushing touchdown, his second of the game, during Niners’ 20-10 win over Atlanta Falcons during NFL game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, October 19, 2025.
Scott Strazzante/S.F. Chronicle
Christian McCaffrey, remember him?
Two seasons ago he was the most dynamic back in football, picking up lots of MVP love and powering the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl.
Since then, missing in action. Unable to get loose this season, hitting brick walls every week. Caught from behind by Father Time?
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Until Sunday night. In the 49ers’ 20-10 win over the Atlanta Falcons, McCaffrey busted out for his first big game of the season, with 201 yards from scrimmage — 129 rushing, 72 passing. Thirty-one touches, no problem.
San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey rushes in 2nd quarter against Atlanta Falcons’ DeAngelo Malone during NFL game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, October 19, 2025.
Scott Strazzante/S.F. Chronicle
Funny how things work out. The spotlight Sunday evening was on Falcons’ running back Bijan Robinson. Through the Falcons’ first five games, Robinson was this season’s version of McCaffrey ’23.
But on Sunday, the 49ers’ defense — seemingly reeling after losing Fred Warner — held the league’s most dangerous back to 92 scrimmage yards (40 rushing and 52 receiving).
Making the matchup more interesting was the fact that McCaffrey and Robinson have become pals and training partners. Last offseason, the 23-year-old Robinson sought out 29-year-old McCaffrey, asked if he could train with the veteran, learn the secrets of his success and durability.
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Good student, young Robinson. He came into Sunday’s game as the league’s hottest double-threat running back since McCaffrey two years ago. McCaffrey, meanwhile, had been running in mud, averaging 3.1 yards per carry.
This matchup had the look of a passing of the baton, fading old master to rising hot new kid.
San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey greets Atlanta Falcons’ Bijan Robinson after Niners’ 20-10 win during NFL game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, October 19, 2025.
Scott Strazzante/S.F. Chronicle
“Hold my Metamucil,” said McCaffrey, or at least that’s how he acted. McCaffrey’s 4-yard touchdown run, memories of Frank Gore’s act as a human mole, gave the 49ers a 20-10 lead with under three minutes left in the game.
The win dramatically changed the 49ers’ season outlook. Instead of sliding back to near .500, the 49ers are now 5-2 and, with McCaffrey’s mojo back, have a dramatically brighter future.
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It was no coincidence that McCaffrey’s revival coincided with the return from a five-game injury absence of George Kittle.
Kittle, shockingly, wound up without a reception (and was thrown to only twice), but his blocking played no small part in the return of the 49ers’ running attack, which has always been the heart of their offense.
“It’s a different ballgame when he’s in there,” McCaffrey said of Kittle. “Even when he doesn’t have a big statistical game, the attention that he draws, it opens so much up. Having him out there is awesome.”
George Kittle (85) blocks for Christian McCaffrey (23) in the second half as the San Francisco 49ers played the Atlanta Falcons at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025.
Carlos Avila Gonzalez/S.F. Chronicle
Kittle threw a block on a 10-yard McCaffrey run in the second quarter, a key play in their first touchdown drive that was capped — after a 13-yard pass to McCaffrey — by CMC’s 1-yard run. Who needs to throw passes to one of the all-time greatest pass-grabbing tight ends when you can use him to throw blocks?
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McCaffrey and Robinson trained together for a month last summer in Studio City. The sessions were Robinson’s idea. McCaffrey is the kind of back Robinson aspires to be, and he especially wanted to learn McCaffrey’s secrets of recovery. They did some high-tech training in an altitude chamber called “Stratosphere,” simulating 18,000-foot — 3-miles-plus — altitude.
If McCaffrey picked up some tricks from the new kid, they weren’t evident until Sunday. Maybe the matchup brought out McCaffrey’s competitive juices.
“Oh, man, he’s inspiring,” McCaffrey said.
Asked if he learned anything from training with Robinson, McCaffrey said, “I learned that he’s a tough guy to train with if you’re trying to be as athletic as he is. I don’t have enough good things to say about him. He’s got everything you would want in a back — speed, quickness, strength, power, explosion… Thing I love most about him is just the kind of guy he is.”
San Francisco 49ers’ defenders run into each other as they bring down Atlanta Falcons’ Bijan Robinson in 2nd quarter of Niners’ 20-10 win during NFL game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, October 19, 2025.
Scott Strazzante/S.F. Chronicle
Now the 49ers and McCaffrey have to show that the running game’s revival isn’t a one-hit wonder. But with Kittle back, and McCaffrey back in form, the picture is brighter.
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The 49ers outgained the Falcons on the ground, 174 to 62. And even though fill-in quarterback Mac Jones had a fairly quiet night (17-of-26, 152 yards) in his latest start for Brock Purdy, he had McCaffrey. Jones was victimized by two flubs by his receivers — Jauan Jennings had a pass slip through his fingers for an interception, and Demarcus Robinson dropped a would-be 45-yard pass in the fourth quarter — but Jones contributed three runs in the 49ers’ final touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter, two for first downs, setting up McCaffrey for the kill.
Thirty-one touches is a big night’s work, but McCaffrey nevertheless looked fresh at the end. On a run two plays before his second touchdown, McCaffrey looked like he’d be stopped for a loss, but he stiff-armed a defender and picked up two yards. It was a perfect impersonation of the Heisman Trophy, which McCaffrey never won, finishing second his sophomore year at Stanford.
That guy, the old Christian McCaffrey, the unstoppable offensive force, is back. Now we’ll see how he does with recovery. As much as anyone can carry them in this injury-wracked season, it might have to be CMC.
