The 49ers got a little jolt of concern on Thursday when rookie running back Kaelon Black showed up on the injury report with a groin issue after being a full participant on Wednesday. For a team that has had its share of injury headaches, that kind of mid-week shift can set off alarms fast.
Kyle Shanahan, though, tried to cool that down right away. Speaking on KNBR, he said, "No, I think we're just being smart with him," Shanahan explained. "It was a little tight today, so we didn't want to push him too hard."
That leaves Black’s status something to monitor through Friday’s final practice report. If the tightness sticks around, second year back Jordan James would be in line to handle the backup role behind Christian McCaffrey against Miami.
The timing matters because Black has already carved out a real role in San Francisco’s offense. In Week 1’s 27-7 win over the Rams, he and McCaffrey formed a two-man punch that looked a lot different from the 49ers’ usual setup.
McCaffrey finished with 10 carries for 68 yards and 5 receptions, while Black handled 14 carries for 65 yards and no catches. Black out-carried McCaffrey 14 to 10 and averaged 4.6 yards per rush, a strong sign that San Francisco’s third-round pick is earning trust quickly from Shanahan and running backs coach Bobby Turner.
The broader picture on Thursday was more encouraging elsewhere. The 49ers also saw key veterans return to full capacity as they prepared for their Week 2 home opener against the Dolphins, while kicker concerns remained part of the mix. But the sudden note next to Black’s name was the storyline that immediately stood out as San Francisco moved toward a high-stakes matchup with Miami’s offense.
In Other News...
Kaepernick Just Reopened A 49ers Era Story Fans Will Remember
Colin Kaepernick is back in the conversation with a new memoir, The Perilous Fight, and the book has already started to reopen one of the most familiar chapters from his 49ers years. Released Sept. 15, the memoir leans into personal stories and reflection, including an anecdote about Taylor Swift and his adoptive mother, while also giving Kaepernick another platform to revisit the larger arc of his career and the fight that followed it.
On a podcast interview the next day, Kaepernick shifted from memoir mode to sharper criticism, taking aim at Patriots owner Robert Kraft over the removal of rapper Macklemore from Ed Sheerans tour. He used the moment to argue that NFL owners work together to protect their interests, while also revisiting his grievance against the league and how his view of owner cooperation has evolved. For 49ers fans, it is another reminder that Kaepernicks story remains as much about the leagues power structure as it is about the quarterback who once defined an era in San Francisco. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Avoid One Levi's Stadium Wrinkle Against The Dolphins
Week 2 brings a more comfortable setup for the 49ers at Levis Stadium, where theyll host the Dolphins under conditions that look far kinder than some of the early-season home games San Francisco has endured in recent years. Forecasts for kickoff call for 72 degrees, clear skies and light winds, the kind of afternoon that should let football, not the weather, drive the conversation.
For a team that has had to manage excessive heat in past daytime games at home, that matters more than it might seem on paper. The Dolphins arrive as a dangerous early test, but the 49ers at least appear set to avoid one of the more annoying variables that can turn a September game in Santa Clara into something closer to a survival exercise. [Read more 🡒]
Fred Warner Said What 49ers Fans Were Feeling About Dre Greenlaw
The 49ers defense wasted no time reminding the rest of the NFC why it still draws so much attention in Santa Clara. In Week 1 against the Rams, San Francisco held Los Angeles under 10 points, and the middle of that effort looked familiar again with Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw back side by side on the field. Warner led the way with 11 tackles, while Greenlaw added six in his return after spending a year with the Denver Broncos.
For 49ers fans, the reunion carried a little extra weight because it brought back a pairing that has long been tied to the identity of this defense. Warner sounded as energized as the crowd felt about seeing Greenlaw back in the mix, and the early result suggested the comfort level between the two has not gone anywhere. The bigger question now is how quickly that revived linebacker duo can help San Francisco settle in as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]