Pass protection isn’t the most glamorous part of a running back’s job. But San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey has always emphasized the importance of excelling at it to make life easier for his quarterbacks when defenses send blitzes. That understanding and skill have come after spending nine years in the NFL, though. According to his former running backs coach and current Seattle Seahawks pass game coordinator, Jake Peetz, McCaffrey was once among the league’s worst running backs in pass protection.

“The thing that I told Christian, which you could ask him, he didn’t really appreciate,” Peetz told Ari Meirov. “I said, ‘I think you’re one of the worst running backs in the league at pass protection. And it’s not like you’re not good at it. You’re one of the worst. And it was in a very respectful way. And he’s like, ‘Well, I need to be coached how to do it.’ And it’s like, ‘Great, that’s why I have a job.'”

McCaffrey wasn’t a bad running back at the start of his NFL career. In fact, he was ranked one of the top three running backs heading into the 2017 NFL draft by multiple draft analysts. And even before Peetz became his RB coach, McCaffrey had already recorded a 1,000+ rushing yards and over 800 yards in a season with the Carolina Panthers.

At the same time, however, Peetz just wanted McCaffrey to become good at pass protection. Peetz was referring to the 2019 season when he became the Panthers’ running backs coach. That season, McCaffrey recorded over 2,000 scrimmage yards, anchoring both the backfield and the passing game. He led the league in total touches, touchdowns, and all-purpose yards, while leading all the backs in points scored and receptions.

But after being coached under Peetz’s guidance, he went on to become a dominant runner, receiver, and pass protector in the NFL, especially after the San Francisco 49ers acquired him during the 2022 season. In his first full season in Santa Clara, McCaffrey helped the 49ers to one of the best passing offenses in the 2023 season.

The unit ranked fourth in passing yards and second in passing touchdowns. Brock Purdy recorded the best season of his career to date. He threw for 4280 yards and 31 touchdowns, leading the 49ers to Super Bowl LVIII, even though they didn’t win. Throughout the season, the 49ers’ pass protection allowed Purdy to connect with his receivers easily.

To put that into perspective, Brandon Aiyuk finished the regular season with 1342 yards and 7 touchdowns. Deebo Samuel grabbed 60 receptions for 892 yards. And George Kittle complemented them with 65 receptions for 1020 yards and 8 touchdowns.

While McCaffrey missed time during the 2024 season, he returned to a strong performance in 2025. He helped the 49ers record another strong passing offense. The unit ranked 5th in passing yards and fourth in touchdowns. At the time, Aiyuk wasn’t available throughout the season, and Samuel had already left the team for Washington. Kittle, meanwhile, was limited to just 11 games, where he caught 57 receptions for 628 yards and 7 touchdowns.

So, it won’t be unfair to say that while Peetz revealed McCaffrey’s struggles in pass protection, the 49ers’ running back has now become one of the most dominant players in the league.

“I feel like for every running back, the first thing you hear about when you go into the first meeting room, if you have a new coach, whatever it is, they show pass protection, and that’s widely known throughout every coach I’ve ever had,” he said back in 2023. “If you can’t pass protect, you’re not going to play.

“…My [running backs] coach, Bobby Turner, is always like, ‘It’s a 7-second fist fight when you’re pass protecting.’ They might be bigger than you and they might have a full head of steam, but you have to find a way to not get your quarterback touched so that all the guys, all the receivers like Jauan [Jennings] and BA [Brandon Aiyuk] and Deebo [Samuel] and George [Kittle], who are blocking for you all the time, that’s your chance to reward them with a pass so that they can go and get some of their shine.”

That said, Christian McCaffrey’s role in Kyle Shanahan’s offense is well beyond just being a runner. In fact, when the 30-year-old back is healthy, he’s one of the most unique players in the NFL.