The 49ers might need to add a ski mask into their game-day ensemble following Christian McCaffrey’s unreal showing against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
Because after the newly acquired running back dashed, jumped and even threw his way all over SoFi Stadium in San Francisco’s 31-14 win, NBC Sports Bay Area’s Donte Whitner believes the 49ers pulled off quite the heist in the McCaffrey deal.
“After Christian McCaffrey’s performance on Sunday, it’s looking more and more to me like the 49ers got away with highway robbery when it comes to the trade with the Carolina Panthers,” Whitner said in the latest edition of “Hitner’s Hot Take.”
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McCaffrey finished Sunday’s victory with a rushing touchdown, receiving touchdown and a passing touchdown, completing a trifecta that hasn’t been seen from an NFL running back since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2005.
McCaffrey became the first 49ers player to achieve the feat, too.
For Whitner, the former NFL safety can’t understand how the Panthers let McCaffrey go -- even if they received four future draft picks from San Francisco in return.
“There’s no way you let a guy out of the building who’s going to be a future Hall of Famer, perennial All-Pro, matchup issue, catching the ball out of the backfield,” Whitner said. “And he threw a touchdown, he caught a touchdown and he ran for a touchdown.”
San Francisco 49ers
In just his ninth day with the 49ers, McCaffrey’s three scores came in a performance that saw him rush for 94 yards on 18 carries, collect 55 yards receiving on eight receptions and tally 34 yards passing on one perfect touchdown throw to Brandon Aiyuk.
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Whitner knows the 49ers Faithful have only seen the surface of McCaffrey’s potential in the Bay.
“As he gets more and more acclimated with this offense, look for Christian McCaffrey to take this 49ers offense to the next level,” Whitner said.
If there are levels still to be found greater than what the running back showed Sunday, the rest of the NFL should be on high alert.