Christian McCaffrey has had one of the best years of his career in 2023 with the San Francisco 49ers, and the star offensive weapon is one of the nominees for Offensive Player of the Year.
He is a dynamic weapon both in the running and passing games for the 49ers, and he is now on the cusp of making his first-ever Super Bowl.
What is his playoff history, and how much difference has he made in the postseason?
Christian McCaffrey’s Playoff Stats
McCaffrey has competed in five playoff games throughout his career and has 63 carries, 352 rushing yards, and four rushing touchdowns. He also has 25 receptions, 192 receiving yards, and two receiving scores.
In 2022 and 2023, McCaffrey has played a central role in the 49ers getting to the playoffs. Not only has McCaffrey been instrumental in the regular season, but his performances in the postseason have been key to San Francisco making back-to-back NFC Championships since he was traded to the 49ers.
The 49ers lost the NFC Championship Game in 2021 and 2022. However, with McCaffrey in the form of his career, San Francisco hopes it’s now their time to head to the Super Bowl again.
Breaking it down, McCaffrey first appeared in the playoffs in 2017 with the Carolina Panthers. They went on to lose in the Wild Card Round to the New Orleans Saints 31-26. McCaffrey had six carries for just 16 rushing yards in that game, with the Saints restricting him to a long of seven yards.
McCaffrey also had six receptions for 101 receiving yards and one touchdown.
McCaffrey in the 2022 Playoffs
The next time McCaffrey would make the postseason was in 2022 with the 49ers. San Francisco traded for McCaffrey in October 2022 as they pushed for a title. They made the postseason with the help of McCaffrey, who has been a star in the Shanahan offense.
Making the playoffs, the 49ers played three postseason games in 2022 before losing 31-7 to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game. On their playoff run, the 49ers defeated the Seattle Seahawks, and Dallas Cowboys to make the NFC title game.
MORE: San Francisco 49ers Depth Chart
The longest down of McCaffrey’s playoff career came in the Wild Card Round when the 49ers overcame their divisional rivals 41-23. In the first quarter, with 8:02 on the clock, McCaffrey had the longest run of his playoff career, accelerating for 68 yards.
In the 2022 Divisional Round, the 49ers were truly tested. They won the game 19-12, but it was hard-fought. Dallas put up a good fight and limited McCaffrey’s usage. However, the star running back did score the go-ahead touchdown.
With the teams tied 9-9 in the fourth quarter, McCaffrey punched in a two-yard run to cap off a 91-yard drive to put the 49ers ahead and ultimately take the game away from the Cowboys.
The conference championship against the Eagles never ended up being a fair contest. McCaffrey scored a TD in the second quarter to level the game up. However, when Brock Purdy left the game due to an elbow injury, the game was all but over.
When Purdy left the game, it was all on the running game to rescue the 49ers. And the Eagles knew it. They stifled the run game, limiting the impact that McCaffrey could have on this team.
McCaffrey’s stat lines in the three 2022 playoff games were:
- Vs. Seahawks — 15 carries, 119 rushing yards, two receptions, 17 receiving yards, and one touchdown.
- Vs. Cowboys — 10 carries, 35 rushing yards, one touchdown, six receptions, and 22 receiving yards.
- At Eagles — 15 carries, 84 yards, one touchdown, four receptions, and 22 yards.
McCaffrey in the 2023 Playoffs
The 49ers secured the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a 12-5 regular-season record. It meant that they had a bye through the Wild Card Round. Their opponent in the Divisional Round was a hot Green Bay Packers team that had just beaten the Cowboys 48-32.
It was a tricky game for San Francisco to navigate, but the Niners survived, winning the game 24-21.
McCaffrey proved to be a reliable weapon during the game and had to be used more heavily after WR Deebo Samuel exited the contest in the first half. Purdy also struggled in the game, meaning McCaffrey ended with the most targets and receptions on the team.
His final stat line vs. the Packers was 17 carries, 98 rushing yards, seven receptions, 30 receiving yards, and two touchdowns.
The 49ers will entertain the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game as they look to return to the Super Bowl.
Want to predict the results of the 2023 NFL postseason with our FREE NFL Playoff Predictor? How about looking into in-depth breakdowns of team depth charts or the NFL playoff schedule? Pro Football Network has you covered with all that and more!