Jerick McKinnon signed a four-year, $ 30 million contract in San Francisco two years ago. He still has to play a snap football for the 49ers due to knee problems. The comeback of the running back now begins with the Niners hitting the practice fields for training camp.
“I work like I’m broken,” McKinnon told Bay Area News Group. “It’s bad to stop working.”
The 49ers signed McKinnon in 2018 as a perfect piece in the backfield of Kyle Shanahan, a double-threat player who could punch a hole in the zone-running scheme. An ACL injury missed his first season, and a commitment a year ago ignored the entire 2019.
Earning $ 15.5 million in two years without playing, McKinnon has structured his contract this season to $ 910,000 from base salary to stay in San Francisco and give himself a shot to prove he can be the player which the Niners had foretold.
“Before I signed up, there was something special about this organization and the momentum that came down to it that last season (in 2017),” McKinnon said. “That’s why I came. Younger boys, hungry boys who play hard The reasons I came here, it’s not really about the money.
“When it came to contract reconstruction, it was not a big deal for me. It was about proving why I came here, came back on the field and showed off my talents.”
