Jerick McKinnon has not played a snap since the 2017 NFC Championship, where the running back recorded 126 yards of scrimmage on 21 touches when the Minnesota Vikings fell to the Philadelphia Eagles, 38-7.
Signed by the 49ers two months later, it was expected that McKinnon would become the go-to word of San Francisco running back as a multifaceted contribution to crime. A torn ACL just before the start of the 2018 season left McKinnon sidelined in his kind of debut as a San Francisco forward. Exactly one year later, his highly anticipated return was put back on hiatus, with a setback in his progress.
The third time is a charm for running back, as he makes his return to the 49ers offense. Since the start of the camp, McKinnon seems to have put his injury behind him, as one of the early standouts during the 49-team sessions. McKinnon looked quick and agile as he took several handoffs during 11-on-11 work. He also flashes his route description options, he only pitches in teams during team and 1-on-1 drills.
“Jet looked phenomenal. You would just never think he would go out there and see how he exercises, how smooth he is, how he does not advise himself second, how quickly he answers questions in meetings – all that sort of thing, you would never think that this man has not been on the field for two years, “said Kyle Juszczyk. “He just makes things so natural, so smooth. There can only be positive things for him this year. I think he will have a really good year.”
Even newcomer Trent Williams is envious of McKinnon’s comeback story. The leftist approach highlighted McKinnon as the player he is most afraid to see, stating that he cannot “not be a breakout player” on the running background.
Now that he’s healthy, McKinnon describes an important piece of Kyle Shanahan’s offense as a ball carrier and in passing play. He aims to prove himself as the dynamic offensive cog the 49ers sought to add back to their arsenal back in 2018.
“Jet has always been as hard on a worker as there is. He came in as prepared as anyone could be,” Shanahan said. We have been this with him twice. When he came back with it last year, he was trying to get it back, and he would come out and try to work it through. You could tell it just didn’t heal properly and then he had to go through all that stuff again. It’s still the first day, the first step, but you can tell it’s healing well. You can tell that Jet has introduced that work, and you feel all that he has passed on in the last two years. I feel like he is finally in a position where he has the chance to have this comeback now and everyone is attracted to him. “
McKinnon has admitted that he has experienced the mental and emotional challenges of being sidelined in back-to-back seasons. He relied on his faith, loved ones, teammates and coaches to keep him uplifted in the process. Now with a shot at redemption, he will have to practice discipline and stay within his bounds for his first chance at a Week 1 debut with the 49ers.
“For me, it’s about the stack of days,” McKinnon said. “Learn as much as I can, avoid that rest of not playing in two years and put myself into game-type situations. We have no press season, so every day I have to put myself in those extreme situations and environments. in my head and make it feel like a game-type situation. The first chance I will get back will be Game 1. It will be a real game. So, I have to start now. “
