Heading into his eighth NFL season, there’s not much left to be said about 49ers star Christian McCaffrey.
The two-time All-Pro and reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year has established himself as one of this century’s most dominant running backs, and his versatility as both a runner and receiver is nearly unmatched.
Nevertheless, his teammate Deebo Samuel ascribed McCaffrey with perhaps the most apt description yet.
During an appearance on NFL Network’s “The Insiders” on Tuesday, Samuel was asked about what he has seen from McCaffrey this summer — though the 49ers back currently is nursing a calf injury.
“One word to use when talking about Christian McCaffrey — the guy’s a machine,” Samuel proclaimed. “He’s just the best back I’ve seen.”
It’s hard to argue with that cyborg-esque comparison. McCaffrey has the unrelenting battery of the Energizer Bunny, allowing him to play all three downs. He’s practically automatic in his ability to find the end zone every week, and his football-obsessed psyche is reminiscent of a computer. One could even say he runs over defenders for extra yards like a car.
This moment from the 2023 NFL season might be proof, too.
It’s hard not to be amazed by the robot-like ease with which he plays, even among a star-studded cast of skill players in San Francisco.
This season, the 49ers might need their machine to avoid any more glitches, especially if Trent Williams and Brandon Aiyuk continue holding out.