McCaffrey and Williams are shocked by the 49ers running back’s latest record originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SEATTLE – Another 49ers game means another record for Christian McCaffrey.
McCaffrey’s two rushing touchdowns The 49ers’ 31-13 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night at Lumen Field brought his season total to 11, passing Frank Gore and five other former 49ers running backs for the most rushing touchdowns in a single season. Gore set the record in 2009, while Derek Loville (1995), Ricky Watters (1993), Billy Kilmer (1961), JD Smith (1959) and Joe Perry (1953) all preceded the University of Miami product.
After the 49ers’ last win, both McCaffrey and star left tackle Trent Williams were surprised to see the All-Pro running back set another franchise record.
“Wow, damn, that’s crazy,” Williams said after the game. “He could maybe double it. I don’t know. He finds his way into that end zone every week. I think we’ll all sit back and watch the story happen and see how he takes it.”
While Williams was speaking to the media, McCaffrey himself stopped by and learned about the recording.
“What record?” asked McCaffrey. When he was told that, he gave credit to his left tackle.
“Nice. That’s his record, not mine,” McCaffrey said, pointing to Williams.
It’s clear that Williams and the offensive line are a big contributor to McCaffrey’s success by opening up lanes to run through. McCaffrey carried the ball 19 times for 114 yards on Thursday night while also catching five of his six targets for 25 yards.
Through 11 games, McCaffrey leads the NFL with 939 rushing yards, as well as his 11 rushing trips to the end zone. His 241 touchdowns, 1,328 yards from scrimmage and 16 receiving touchdowns are also best in the NFL.
“I’m really happy for him,” Williams said. “He deserves everything. He is the hardest worker on the team. I can’t say enough about him. He’s the only one who will manage to beat it next year.”
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McCaffrey’s best rushing touchdown total of 15 came in 2019 as a member of the Carolina Panthers. That year, he made history by becoming the third player in NFL history to record both 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in a single season.
With six regular season games remaining, Williams believes McCaffrey has the potential to double the previous record.
“The minimum is 17, maybe 20,” Williams said with a smile.
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