While more than two decades have passed since Barry Sanders played for the Detroit Lions, the retired running back wouldn’t play for the same team today if given a chance. After the Lions drafted him in 1989, Sanders rewrote the record books in Detroit over a 10-year career and earned a Pro Bowl nod every single season. But recently, when asked which modern offense he’d most like to play in or coach, Sanders picked Kyle Shanahan’s San Francisco 49ers.

“If I had to pick one, I’m gonna go with the Niners,” Barry Sanders said on the Throwbacks Show. “In this past happy NFL, Shanahan, he’s figured out how to run a football. The Niners are one of those few teams that have always been able to run the ball. I mean, Christian McCaffrey, he’s taking it to a new level.”

“But think back to Matt Breida, Raheem Mostert, Frank Gore,” Sanders added. “George Kittle – he’s gonna catch his passes, and there just seems to be enough balls to go around for all their skill players. If I had to choose one, then that would be it.”

When Barry Sanders retired in 1998, he had already racked up 15,269 rushing yards and 99 touchdowns in just 153 games. The Lions legend also led the league in rushing four times during the 1990s.

So, while the Hall of Famer has just expressed his desire to play under Kyle Shanahan, there is no doubt that he was left impressed by how other RBs fared in San Francisco. 

Take Frank Gore, for example. The 49ers drafted Gore in 2005, and he went on to become the franchise’s all-time leading rusher. Over 10 seasons, Gore piled up 11,073 rushing yards and 64 touchdowns, delivering consistency year after year. Even after Gore moved on to Indianapolis, the 49ers’ rushing attack did not take a big hit. As Sanders just pointed out, there were still other RBs like Matt Breida and Raheem Mostert who found success in San Francisco.

Breida, who joined the Niners as an undrafted free agent in 2017, the same year Shanahan arrived, quickly carved out a role in the team’s rushing attack. In three seasons, Breida totaled 1,902 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. In his 2018 campaign, while Breida tallied 814 yards at 5.1 yards per carry, he played a vital role in the 49ers reaching the 2019 Super Bowl.

Meanwhile, the 49ers first signed Raheem Mostert to the practice squad in 2016, and while he battled injuries, he still managed 1,610 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns across six seasons in San Francisco. In the 2019 Super Bowl, Mostert also contributed with 59 rushing yards and 1 touchdown for the Niners.

Kyle Shanahan’s system has consistently elevated whoever lined up in the backfield in San Francisco. But as Barry Sanders pointed out, the RB who has taken the 49ers’ rushing attack to another level is Christian McCaffrey. 

How has Christian McCaffrey grown under Kyle Shanahan?

Since arriving via trade in 2022, Christian McCaffrey has thrived in Kyle Shanahan’s system. In just 48 games with the 49ers, McCaffrey has already piled up 3,609 rushing yards and 48 touchdowns. Late last season, he even offered some insight into why players like himself have thrived under Shanahan.

“You know, I was actually talking with some of my family members this week, but his understanding of not just offensive football but defensive football,” McCaffrey said in a presser in December, 2025. “I think when your head coach and your offensive play caller know defensive football just as well as anybody, it allows us to open up stuff not just in the run game but in the pass game.”

“He’s been doing it for a long time at the highest level, and when we’re in those meetings, it’s like football heaven as a football nerd. You just learn so much every week, and it keeps you on your toes every week. It’s definitely fun to be a part of it.”

Even during an injury-riddled 2025 season for the 49ers, McCaffrey carried a heavy workload and still became a Comeback Player of the Year Finalist. The 49ers RB racked up 1,202 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, proving once again that he’s the engine of this offense.

Moreover, with Kyle Shanahan calling plays and an offensive weapon like McCaffrey leading the charge, if the Niners can stay healthy through a season, they can always be a legitimate Super Bowl contender. And that is why even retired players like Barry Sanders seem willing to get back on the field, just to play in San Francisco.