CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY

The San Francisco 49ers have placed All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve because of his lingering calf and Achilles tendon injuries.

All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey has been ruled out of this weekend’s game for the San Francisco 49ers because of his lingering calf and Achilles’ injuries.

San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey could have played in the 49ers’ opener if it had been a playoff game but the team held him out to make sure his Achilles tendinitis didn’t become a more serious issue.

Aaron Rodgers’ long-awaited return to the field was spoiled by San Francisco as the 49ers got 147 yards rushing and a touchdown from fill-in back Jordan Mason in a 32-19 victory over the New York Jets.

San Francisco All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey is listed as questionable for the season opener against the New York Jets with a sore calf and Achilles.

Aaron Rodgers knows all eyes are on him.

Christian McCaffrey grew up playing the Madden NFL video game with his brother, dreaming of being a player in the league one day.

The San Francisco 49ers have rewarded All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey with a contract extension after he won the AP Offensive Player of the Year award in his first full season with the team.

Marvin Harrison Jr., Joe Alt, Kris Jenkins and Jonah Ellis have turned the NFL draft into a family affair.

A person with knowledge of the deal says the Baltimore Ravens have agreed to a two-year contract with free agent running back Derrick Henry.

Jauan Jennings’ historic Super Bowl milestone will turn into only a footnote after his San Francisco 49ers lost the game.

Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas on Sunday is shaping up to be quite a doozy.

They're the plays that shaped this year's postseason.

Lamar Jackson was a near-unanimous choice for his second AP NFL Most Valuable Player award.

It's ever-present on the lips of Taylor Swift and the uniforms of both Super Bowl teams.

Coach Kyle Shanahan took some convincing before deciding it was worth trading a boatload of draft picks before last season’s trade deadline for Christian McCaffrey.

The Detroit Lions are just one win away from the first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history.

The four teams remaining in the NFL playoffs all have an aspect of their offense in common.

The San Francisco 49ers are back in a familiar spot facing a Detroit Lions team new to this stage.

The four remaining teams in the NFL playoffs may have a lesson to offer.

Lamar Jackson, Christian McCaffrey and Dak Prescott are finalists for The Associated Press 2023 NFL Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year awards.

The most taxing part of getting to the precipice of the Super Bowl only to fall short might be the long journey just to return to that stage for another shot.

Christian McCaffrey scored his second touchdown on a 6-yard run with 1:07 to play, and the San Francisco 49ers mounted their first second-half comeback of the season to beat the Green Bay Packers 24-21 in a divisional-round playoff game.

Christian McCaffrey, Tyreek Hill and Fred Warner are unanimous choices for The Associated Press 2023 NFL All-Pro Team.

The Carolina Panthers have fired general manager Scott Fitterer, one day after the team finished with an NFL-worst 2-15 record.

Brock Purdy and Tua Tagovailoa were selected to their first Pro Bowl as the starting quarterbacks for their respective conferences.

The San Francisco 49ers and their deep group of playmakers accomplished a rare feat.

NFL leading rusher Christian McCaffrey will miss San Francisco’s regular-season finale with a mild calf strain but should be ready to return for the playoffs.

Brock Purdy threw two touchdown passes and the San Francisco 49ers clinched the top seed in the NFC by beating the Washington Commanders 27-10.

Several wide receivers had milestone performances this past week, but no one could do what Amari Cooper did for the Cleveland Browns.

If a December matchup between the top two teams in the NFL didn’t provide high enough stakes, the league MVP could be decided Monday night when the San Francisco 49ers host the Baltimore Ravens.

When it comes to getting big games from playmakers, the New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers have been lacking at a historic level.

Christian McCaffrey scored three touchdowns, Charvarius Ward had two interceptions, including a pick-6, and the San Francisco 49ers clinched the NFC West while pushing their winning streak to six games with a 45-29 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Deebo Samuel scored on a catch and a run and the San Francisco 49ers won their 11th straight division game, beating the Seattle Seahawks 28-16.

Christian McCaffrey rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, and the San Francisco 49ers built a 21-point lead by halftime in rolling to a 31-13 win over the Seattle Seahawks.

Brock Purdy threw three touchdown passes, including a 66-yarder to George Kittle, and the San Francisco 49ers seemingly fixed all their woes with a cross-country trip and a 34-3 drubbing of Jacksonville that ended a three-game skid.

Christian McCaffrey has been scoring at a record-setting pace so far this season.

Kirk Cousins connected with rookie Jordan Addison for two first-half touchdowns, Camryn Bynum intercepted San Francisco’s Brock Purdy twice in the fourth quarter, and the Minnesota Vikings beat the 49ers 22-17.

San Francisco 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel will miss at least the next two games with a hairline fracture in his shoulder.

Kyle Shanahan and Mike McDaniel spent years together scheming ways to exploit NFL defenses.

When the San Francisco 49ers dealt a bevy of draft picks to Carolina last October for Christian McCaffrey, some skeptics asked whether they overpaid for a running back in a passing league.

Christian McCaffrey scored a touchdown in his 12th straight game, Brock Purdy threw two TD passes and the San Francisco 49ers won their 13th straight regular season game, 30-12 over the New York Giants.

Fourteen NFL teams are 1-1 and Pro Picks also has an even record through two weeks.

The AFC came into the season with the lion’s share of the top quarterbacks and Super Bowl contenders led by passers like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow.

Brock Purdy threw for 220 yards and two touchdowns to Brandon Aiyuk and the San Francisco 49ers drilled the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-7.

The value of running backs in the NFL has dropped precipitously in recent years as teams rely more on the passing game to succeed.

Saquon Barkley and the New York Giants failed to reach an agreement on a long-term contract extension by Monday’s deadline for franchised players, leaving the star running back with the option of playing for the tag-mandated $10.1 million salary or maybe taking the season off.

The San Francisco 49ers got a jolt offensively when they made the bold decision in October to trade four draft picks to add Christian McCaffrey to an already deep group of playmakers.

Nasty defenses.

Christian McCaffrey scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 2-yard run in the fourth quarter and San Francisco’s defense did the rest, sending the 49ers to their second straight NFC title game with a 19-12 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.

Brock Purdy threw three touchdown passes and ran for a fourth score in his playoff debut, leading the San Francisco 49ers to a 41-23 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in a wild-card game.

Wild-card weekend is all about familiarity.

Brock Purdy threw three touchdown passes for his sixth straight game with multiple TDs and the San Francisco 49ers clinched the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs with a 38-13 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.

Robbie Gould made a 23-yard field goal with 6:53 left in overtime and the San Francisco 49ers extended their winning streak to nine games with a 37-34 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.

Brock Purdy threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score in his first career start and San Francisco’s vaunted defense spoiled Tom Brady’s Bay Area homecoming with a 35-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Christian McCaffrey ran for the go-ahead touchdown with 7:54 to play, and the San Francisco 49ers beat the Los Angeles Chargers 22-16 in their first game back from a bye week.

The NFL trade deadline turned into a frenzy with 15 teams making 10 deals involving 12 players and several draft picks.

Christian McCaffrey became the 11th player in NFL history with a rushing touchdown, a passing touchdown and a receiving touchdown in one game, and the San Francisco 49ers extended their regular-season mastery over the Rams to four full years with a 31-14 victory over Los Angeles.

San Francisco 49ers playmaker Deebo Samuel will miss Sunday’s key NFC West showdown against the rival Los Angeles Rams with an injured hamstring.

The Los Angeles Rams are used to making the NFL’s boldest moves and getting the big-name players they want.

Patrick Mahomes threw for 424 yards and three touchdowns to rally Kansas City back from another double-digit deficit in the Chiefs’ 44-23 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

Days after trading star running back Christian McCaffrey, the Carolina Panthers ran for a season-high 173 yards and rolled past Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 21-3.

Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell below.

General manager John Lynch still views his San Francisco 49ers as a Super Bowl contender despite a string of injuries, lackluster performances and a 3-3 start to the season.

Some might say it’s a rebuild.

The San Francisco 49ers have acquired star running back Christian McCaffrey from the Carolina Panthers for a haul of draft picks.

According to a person familiar with the situation, the Carolina Panthers are considering trading 2019 All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey if they get something significant in return.

Can we finally start Tony Pollard.

Nine home teams are underdogs in Week 3.

Patrick Mahomes loses sleep preparing for Thursday night games.

Sam Darnold threw a touchdown pass during the Carolina Panthers' 23-21 preseason-opening victory at the Washington Commanders to give him a highlight in the quarterback competition against Baker Mayfield.

Training camps opened across the NFL and the biggest offseason question remains unanswered.

Brendan Smith scored a short-handed goal late in the second period while Antti Raanta finished with 21 saves to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New York Rangers 2-0, taking a 2-0 lead in their second-round playoff series.

Every year, players in every NFL city fail to meet expectations.

Here are some athletes who were money in the bank for sports bettors this year: Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans and Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani.

Los Angeles Rams receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has been added to the COVID-19 reserve list as the NFL reports 28 more positive tests among players.

Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey will miss the remainder of the season with an ankle injury.

Cam Newton provided a flashback to his Superman days in his second debut with the Panthers He threw for one touchdown, ran for another and sparked Carolina to a 34-10 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton made it clear in a 30-minute teleconference Friday that he doesn’t hold any grudges about the team releasing him prior to the 2020 season, calling it “irrelevant” to him now.

Dak Prescott and Joe Burrow are the top contenders for the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year honors after bouncing back from injuries that ended their 2020 seasons early.

The Carolina Panthers have placed running back Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least the next three games with a hamstring injury.

About a third of the starting quarterbacks have missed time because of injuries, and Richard Sherman’s return to the NFL was hastened by Tampa Bay’s need at cornerback.

The Los Angeles Rams are the unanimous top team in the latest AP Pro32 poll.

According to a person familiar with the situation Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey is expected to miss multiple weeks with a hamstring injury.

Sam Darnold threw for 304 yards and ran for two touchdowns, and the Carolina Panthers eased past the Houston Texans 24-9 despite losing Christian McCaffrey to a hamstring injury early in the second quarter.

Carolina running back Christian McCaffrey left Thursday night’s game against the Houston Texans with a hamstring injury and will not return.

Sam Darnold threw for 305 yards and two touchdowns, and the Carolina defense turned in another strong performance in a 26-7 win over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

The Denver Broncos are going with Teddy Bridgewater over Drew Lock as their starting quarterback.

Jacob Eason was efficient in place of the injured Carson Wentz, and rookie Sam Ehlinger delivered in the final quarter for the Indianapolis Colts.

Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson appeared on the field at their teams’ first training camp practices.

From players getting COVID-19 vaccinations to relaxed coronavirus protocols to lineup issues, particularly at quarterback, the NFL faces a multitude of questions as training camps open.

Hendrick Motorsports’ quest to pass Petty Enterprises as the all-time winningest NASCAR Cup Series race team got off to a good start when Kyle Larson captured the pole for the Coca-Cola 600.

Regardless, on Monday, two days before the NFL's 2021 business year begins, the 32 teams and agents for the players will be making deals. “Legal tampering, and tampering is illegal? AdOf course, free agency always is a buyer-beware situation. AdVoila: Lavonte David, a key linebacker, was re-signed, and several other key guys in the title run could be back. “We do have some money from a cap standpoint that we can spend; but again, it’s an interesting year.

The Saints (12-4) will host the seventh-seeded Chicago Bears in the wild-card round next Sunday at 4:40 p.m. EST. He also ran for five TDs, but the Panthers struggled to make winning plays late in games all season with Bridgewater at the helm. That leaves questions about his future as the Panthers starting QB, especially with the team having a top 10 draft pick in 2021. UP NEXTSaints: The four-time defending NFC South champions host the Bears next Sunday in the playoffs. Panthers: After failing to make the playoffs for the third straight season, Carolina will look to the NFL draft to upgrade a number of pressing needs.

DeVonta Smith is The Associated Press college football player of the year, becoming the first wide receiver to win the award since it was established in 1998, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020. Jones received nine first-place votes and 67 points as he and Smith became the first teammates to finish 1-2 in the voting for AP player of the year. Smith is also the first Alabama player to win the award. Derrick Henry won the 2015 Heisman for the Tide, but Stanford's Christian McCaffrey was AP player of the year. ___Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at https://westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Haskins' failed second chance coupled with a special teams blunder and defensive miscues added up to Washington blowing its first chance to clinch the NFC East by losing to the Carolina Panthers 20-13 on Sunday. With Christian McCaffrey out again, Curtis Samuel had five catches for 106 yards and was the Panthers' leading rusher with 52 yards on seven carries. 2 pick forced Bridgewater to fumble on a sack in Washington territory early in the third quarter to prevent Carolina from putting up even more points. Washington: Played without top WR Terry McLaurin, who couldn't keep gutting through a nagging ankle injury. Washington: Gets another chance to win the NFC East next Sunday at Philadelphia.

Green Bay (11-3) won its fourth straight despite getting outscored 13-3 and outgained 214-49 in the second half. Rodgers called the second half “definitely a stinker for the offense.”“We just know that type of football in the second half is not going to get it done in the playoffs, where we're going,” Rodgers said. Green Bay took a half-game lead over New Orleans (10-3) in the race for the NFC’s best record. We played better after that.”Carolina scored the first 10 points of the second half on Bridgewater’s 13-yard scramble and Slye’s 22-yard field goal. Green Bay hosts Tennessee in another night game on Dec. 27.

Daniel Jones is active and is expected to start at quarterback for the New York Giants against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. After missing last week’s game with a hamstring injury, Jones practiced fully for the first time on Friday. Jaguars: QB Jake Luton, CB Luq Barcoo, LB Kamalei Correa, LB Quincy Williams, C Brandon Linder, TE Tyler Davis, DE Reggie Gilbert. Giants: WR Dante Pettis, CB Darnay Holmes (knee), ILB T.J. Brunson, OT Kyle Murphy, OT Jackson Barton, DE R.J. McIntosh. Buccaneers: DL Khalil Davis, CB Jamel Dean, RB Leonard Fournette, QB Ryan Griffin, TE Tanner Hudson, DL Jeremiah Ledbetter.

The unbeaten Pittsburgh Steelers wound up relatively healthy for their game against the AFC North rival Cincinnati Bengals following a brush with the novel coronavirus. Defensive tackle Tyson Alualu is also back after missing a game with a knee injury. Cincinnati is without running back Joe Mixon, whose lingering foot injury is forcing him to miss a third game in a row. Receiver Cooper Kupp, left tackle Andrew Whitworth and running back Darrell Henderson all were active after missing practices with injuries. Raiders: T Kolton Miller (ankle), DT Maurice Hurst (ankle), QB Marcus Mariota, RB Theo Riddick, G John Simpson, DT Daniel Ross.

Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (22) runs against Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Bashaud Breeland (21) during the second half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. Rhule said McCaffrey has a separation of the AC joint, which is located at the tip of the shoulder where the shoulder blade and collarbone meet. “I'm anticipating from I know being much more day to day and week to week than that. McCaffrey injured the shoulder in the fourth quarter of Carolina's 33-31 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. McCaffrey has six touchdowns in the three games he's played this season, including two in a 31-17 loss to Tampa Bay in Week 2.