Christian McCaffrey closing in on more cherished 49ers records
By Peter Panacy
As if Christian McCaffrey hasn't done enough this season, even more 49ers franchise records are now within his reach.
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is having a magical season. There's no questioning that, and it's only a wonder as to what he'll be able to accomplish by the time Week 18 is in the books.
So far, he already tied the NFL all-time record for most consecutive games with a touchdown scored with 17.
Now, he's closing in on another record, a cherished one by Niners standards.
Christian McCaffrey honing in on 49ers TD record held by Jerry Rice
McCaffrey scored two touchdowns during San Francisco's 31-13 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night, which brings his total to 16 on the year.
If you know your 49ers history, you'll recall that Hall of Famer Jerry Rice holds the franchise record for most touchdowns in a single season with 23.
Rice also holds the second most for the team in a single season with 17, accolades pointed out by our good friend Al Sacco over at 49ers Webzone:
Christian McCaffrey has 16 total TDs this season. He’s currently one behind Jerry Rice for the second most all-time in 49ers history (17 in 1989 & 1995) and seven behind Rice for the most (23 in 1987).
— Al Sacco (@AlSacco49) November 24, 2023
Related story: Christian McCaffrey breaks 2 franchise records while dominating Seahawks
McCaffrey already has 1,328 all-purpose yards on the season and the 16 scores, and it's highly likely he moves past Rice for No. 2 on the Niners' single-season list of touchdowns.
Can he tie (or break) the record, though?
How Christian McCaffrey can break Jerry Rice's record
Yes, McCaffrey does have the added bonus of being able to play an extra game, considering the fact Rice didn't have the luxury of a 17th regular-season contest.
San Francisco has six remaining games left before the playoffs begin, which would average out to McCaffrey needing 1.17 touchdowns per game. But, since that average doesn't quite work out, he'd need to average one score per contest while registering at least two touchdowns in one of those six remaining showdowns.
Currently, McCaffrey is averaging 1.45 touchdowns scored per game. Judging by that, he's well on his way to breaking Rice's franchise record.
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