The dreaded Madden Curse struck Christian McCaffrey and the Niners this season. They were flying high last season -the NFC Champs, the Super Bowl contenders. And this season? Well, they barely scraped together six wins. Christian has barely been on the gridiron this season. His injuries started during practice sessions and lasted long enough to keep him out for most of the season. Bad luck? Maybe. But it looks like that’s over for him now.

Good news for Niners fans -Christian McCaffrey is ready to hit the gridiron next season. Don’t believe us? Well, what if you hear it straight from his dad? That’s right, Ed McCaffrey shared that the Niners RB is doing pretty well in terms of health.

“He’s doing great. He should be fully healthy this week, by next week, and he’ll have a full offseason to train,” said Ed. Christian had been struggling with Achilles tendonitis since the season kicked off. 

The Niners were hopeful McCaffrey would be back soon. But after he missed the season opener against the Jets, it became clear things were worse than expected. Christian ended up on IR. And his Achilles tendonitis got bad enough that he had to see a specialist in Germany. After a long break, the RB looks ready to grace the gridiron once again.

Junior McCaffrey might be back in action, but Ed’s still dealing with his issues. Wondering what? Well, the former Giants WR admitted he hasn’t gotten over his son’s Super Bowl loss last year. “I still have PTSD from last year’s Super Bowl, so I haven’t recovered yet,” joked Ed.

Honestly, that game’s going to haunt Niners fans forever. And look at their luck – the team that beat them last year is in the Super Bowl again this year. But let’s not get into that. About his son’s recovery, Ed also said the Niners are hoping for a strong comeback next season. “It was a tough season, but I think he’s in great shape. He’s going to have a full offseason, and I think the team’s going to come back strong next year.“

But can they bounce back without a few familiar faces? 

What happened during Christian McCaffrey’s absence?

The Niners’ season was painful to watch. Seeing a Super Bowl contender struggle to secure wins did not become a pleasant sight. And of course, someone had to be the scapegoat for the failure. Enter Nick Sorensen and Brian Schneider, who lost their jobs on Black Monday. Sorensen was first bumped from his DC role to special teams coordinator, but that deal never got officially signed. Then the Niners realized Brant Boyer might be a better fit, so Nick had to pack his bags.

After that, he landed in Dallas to work with Brian Schottenheimer as the Cowboys’ special teams coordinator. Special teams coordinator Brian Schneider had to wait about a month before finding his next gig. It looks like the Madden curse hit not just Christian McCaffrey but other coaches, too. But just like for McCaffrey, it’s over for Brian now. He’s landed with the Commanders as their new assistant special teams coordinator.

“The Commanders are hiring long-time special teams coordinator Brian Schneider as Washington’s assistant special teams coordinator, a source tells @NFLonCBS. Schneider was most recently with the 49ers and reunites with Dan Quinn after several years together in Seattle,” reported Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.

So, the Niners are heading into the season with a few new faces on the coaching staff. Let’s see how this all rolls out. And if they’ve finally shaken off that Madden Curse.