Why is Christian McCaffrey fighting so hard to come back?
By Dean Jones
Why is Christian McCaffrey fighting so hard to come back?
The Carolina Panthers find themselves in a real predicament with Christian McCaffrey. The running back is eager to return to the lineup over the next two games providing he comes through practice this week. But there appears little point in the player coming back when there is relatively little to play for other than pride.
Christian McCaffrey is the best dual-threat back in the league when fully healthy. The All-Pro has endured some torrid luck with injuries this season that has restricted him to just three games. But risking him at this juncture just doesn’t seem like the smart way to go.
Not for the player.
Or the organization.
There appears little doubt that McCaffrey has more influence than most within Carolina’s locker room. He has enjoyed a phenomenal start to his NFL career as it’s easy to forget that his 2019 campaign resulted in the former Stanford sensation becoming only the third player in league history to go over 1,000-yards rushing and receiving in the same season.
After missing out for large periods in 2020 due to shoulder, ankle, and quad problems, McCaffrey will undoubtedly be chomping at the bit to get back involved. However, there is just no telling what further complications from an injury perspective would do to the Panthers’ chances of getting themselves back into playoff contention at the earliest possible opportunity.