Christian McCaffrey Caps Ironman Season with Grit and Gratitude, Panthers Commit to Bryce Young, McVay Owns Mistakes in Rams’ OT Win
49ers: McCaffrey Leaves It All on the Field in Grueling Season
Christian McCaffrey didn’t just play football this season-he lived it. The 49ers running back capped off a relentless campaign with a physically and emotionally draining playoff loss to the Seahawks, leaving him bruised, sore, and reflective.
This was the first time in his career that McCaffrey played all 17 games, and he didn’t just show up-he led the league in touches. That’s no small feat for a player who’s battled injuries throughout his career. This season, he pushed through it all, week after week, and became the heartbeat of San Francisco’s offense.
“It’s such a weird emotional roller coaster you go through,” McCaffrey said after the game. “Everything you’ve gone through with this team for what feels like 25 weeks in a row. And then to just end … it takes time to process everything.”
You could hear the weight in his words. This wasn’t just another season-it was personal. From rehabbing on January 1 to carrying the load every Sunday, McCaffrey’s year was defined by resilience.
“This was one of the hardest years of my life,” he admitted. “I had to overcome a lot of odds.
When I look back at all the people who helped me out and the people who were with me every step of the way and believed in me when a lot of people didn’t, I appreciate that. I am really grateful.
… But again, it’s just hard to process everything right now. It just sucks to lose.”
His head coach, Kyle Shanahan, didn’t hold back in his praise.
“I think this was one of the most impressive seasons by an individual player ever, just in terms of what a warrior and man he is week in and week out,” Shanahan said. “Christian finds a way every week.
He commits himself 24 hours a day, seven days a week to get his body ready. I’ve never been around anything like that.”
That’s high praise from a coach who’s seen his share of elite talent. But watching McCaffrey this season, it was clear-this wasn’t just about stats. It was about heart, grit, and a relentless drive to give everything he had to his team.
Panthers: Bryce Young Gets Vote of Confidence from New GM
In Carolina, the Dan Morgan era is officially underway-and he’s already made a big decision. The Panthers are picking up quarterback Bryce Young’s fifth-year option for 2027, signaling that they’re all-in on the young signal-caller’s development.
“I think Bryce has shown flashes of greatness this year against high-level competition,” Morgan said. “As a team, we weren’t as consistent as we wanted to be on a game-to-game basis. … I think Bryce did a great job this year and just really excited about moving forward and him still developing chemistry with our receivers and just the pieces around him.”
Young’s rookie season had its ups and downs, but Morgan saw real growth in Year 2. More command.
More confidence. More of the traits you want to see in a franchise quarterback.
“I just felt like he had a lot more command out there this year,” Morgan added. “Really just coming into his own and getting better every week and just attacking every day. And that’s really all you can ask for from any player, let alone your quarterback.”
There’s still plenty of work to do in Carolina, especially with left tackle Ikem Ekwonu now facing a lengthy rehab after undergoing patellar tendon surgery. But with Young entrenched as the guy and a front office committed to building around him, the Panthers are setting the foundation for what they hope is a long-term turnaround.
Rams: McVay Reflects on Mistakes Despite Playoff Win
The Rams are heading to the NFC Championship Game, but head coach Sean McVay wasn’t exactly celebrating his own performance.
After a dramatic overtime win, McVay was quick to point the finger at himself for a third-down call in overtime that nearly cost them the game.
“We start off, you feel like you’re getting a little bit of momentum,” McVay said. “I make a terrible third-down-and-1 call.
No excuse for that. Should’ve used the timeout.
They did a good job of having a good call on there, and we got to punt it out.”
That level of accountability is rare in this league, especially after a win. But McVay didn’t sugarcoat it-he felt out of sync for most of the night.
“I did not like the feel for the flow of the game that I had, outside of the first series where our guys did a great job,” he said. “Defensively, it kept us in it, in spite of how poor of a job I did for our group.”
Still, the Rams found a way. And that’s what playoff football is all about. Even when things aren’t clicking perfectly, the great teams-and great coaches-find a way to survive and advance.
“I’m really grateful for this group being able to find a way, stick with it, and be able to overcome some bad coaching by me tonight,” McVay said.
With their season still alive and a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, the Rams will look to clean things up. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned about this team, it’s that they don’t fold under pressure. And neither does their head coach-even when he’s his own toughest critic.