Injuries have seen Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey spend more time off the field than on it. After a relatively smooth training camp, the running back has once again been placed on the Panthers' injury report with a shin injury. Even though it is nothing major, it reminds us of how fragile McCaffrey can be.
When news hit that he had been added to the injury report, fans went into meltdown:
"So it begins."
Another fan posted that running back Brian Robinson, who was shot a couple of weeks ago, will play more than the Panthers back.
"The guy who got shot will play more games for the SS."
Other NFL fans gave their thoughts on McCaffrey's latest injury scare, with many jokingly stating that the running back will be out for a significant amount of time.
McCaffrey one of the best in the NFL, when healthy
Entering the league in 2017, the running back was a force of nature. He played 16 games in his rookie year, starting 10 of them. He finished with 435 rushing yards and two touchdowns while also having 651 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns.
The following year, he exploded with 1,098 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns, 867 receiving yards, and six receiving touchdowns. He went up another level in 2019 when he was named to the Pro Bowl.
McCaffrey finished with 1,387 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns while having 1,005 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. Those stats from his first three years show just how damaging he can be for opponents. It is worth noting that in those three years, the 26-year-old played every game.
Since 2019, the back has played just 10 games. He played just seven last year and three in 2020. This is where his injury history plagues him.
In 2020, the running back injured his ankle, thigh and shoulder. In 2021, he missed five games over a hamstring injury. Just six weeks later, he rolled his ankle against the Dolphins in Week 12 and was placed on Injured Reserve, ending his season.
Thankfully, it seems as though this latest setback is nothing to be too concerned about.
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