Faithful Flashbacks #60: Christian McCaffrey Does It All

Faithful Flashbacks revisits Christian McCaffrey’s three-way touchdown performance in his second game with the 49ers.

Jun 15, 2026, 5:00 AM

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In honor of the San Francisco 49ers celebrating their 80th anniversary, Sactown Sports is kicking off a countdown of the 80 greatest moments in the franchise’s illustrious history in reverse order called “Faithful Flashbacks.”

From Super Bowl-winning plays to overperforming teams that had minimal expectations, there’s plenty to choose from the team with five titles under its belt.

The voting was conducted by a handful of the Sactown Sports’ staffers before results were compiled into a full list that will count down to the 49ers’ 2026 NFL regular season debut against the Rams in Melbourne, Australia, on September 10th.

Faithful Flashbacks -- San Francisco 49ers 80 Best Moments

Coming in at No. 60 on our ‘Faithful Flashbacks’ countdown of the 80 best moments in franchise history is Christian McCaffrey’s unique three-touchdown performance against the Rams.

Less than two weeks prior to that, the 49ers had acquired McCaffrey from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for a second, third, fourth, and fifth-round pick. That move added one of football’s most versatile offensive players to a group already filled with a variety of threats that head coach Kyle Shanahan often got creative with.

His first appearance came only a few days after the trade, giving him limited time to learn the offense. By his second game in red and gold, the 49ers were ready to show much more of what their newest addition could provide. And McCaffrey did that and more.

Surprisingly, his first touchdown came as a passer. After receiving a pitch from Jimmy Garoppolo, McCaffrey pulled up and found Brandon Aiyuk downfield for a 34-yard touchdown.

He then added a receiving touchdown in the third quarter, making a leaping catch before having a more typical seven points with a short rushing score in the fourth. That completed the trifecta.

McCaffrey became the first player since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2005 to throw, catch, and run for a touchdown in the same game. Since the 1970 merger, only Tomlinson, Walter Payton, and David Patten had previously accomplished the feat.

His final stat line was absurd with 94 rushing yards, eight receptions for 55 yards, and 34 passing yards, with one touchdown in each category.

The performance helped the 49ers secure a 31-14 win over their division rival. It also made McCaffrey the obvious choice for NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

More importantly, it was an early look at why San Francisco had been willing to make an aggressive move for him. McCaffrey was perhaps the most versatile player at his position. He could create as a runner, receiver, and, on the right day, even as a quarterback.

Only two games into his 49ers career, McCaffrey had already produced one of the rarest individual performances in modern NFL history.

Upcoming San Francisco 49ers Schedule

June 9-10, 2026 – Mandatory Minicamps
Late July 2026 – NFL Training Camps open
Thursday, September 10th – vs. Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia (Season Opener) – 5:35 pm PT
Sunday, September 20th – vs. Miami Dolphins – 1:25 pm PT
Sunday, September 27th – vs. Arizona Cardinals – 1:05 pm PT
Sunday, October 4th – vs. Denver Broncos – 1:25 pm PT