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On Thursday, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch revealed that star running back Christian McCaffrey was selected to address the team before their extended break leading up to training camp.
“I think there’s no one better because of the way he attacks it,” Lynch said on The Pat McAfee Show. “[Head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] says he’s like a walk-on, who’s like one of the most talented players in our league, but he’s got that walk-on mentality.”
That mentality made McCaffrey the ideal person to deliver a message emphasizing that the next 40 days are “away”—not “off.” In other words, the grind doesn’t stop.
On Friday, tight end George Kittle appeared on The Pat McAfee Show and offered a glimpse into what McCaffrey shared with the team.
“He literally said, ‘Hey, I like how Coach Shanahan said it’s 40 days away, not 40 days off, because it is,” Kittle shared. “It’s a way where you’re by yourself. I’d say there’s one thing from his meeting that I’d be comfortable sharing was—Christian likes to say you have to be selfish with your time as an NFL football player if you want to be great.
“And whether that is, ‘Hey, I’m not going to do this family vacation. I’m not going to go do this boys’ trip with these guys. I’m going to spend these 40 days training my butt off to be in the best shape possible, so when I get back, I can earn a spot, and I can help this team win a lot of football games.'”
Kittle continued: “And that was one of my favorite things that he said. He said it a couple of times. But just emphasizing that to the young guys. This isn’t like your 40 days of, ‘Oh, wow, I get to go on vacation.’ You can go golf a little bit, all that stuff, but this isn’t 40 days off. Go train, show up, earn a spot, help us win football games.”
Training camp begins in late July, officially ramping up preparation for the 2025 season. After a disappointing 6-11 finish last year, the 49ers are looking to bounce back, and Christian McCaffrey’s message helps set the tone for the road ahead.
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