NFL launches urgent investigation into Christian McCaffrey’s injury after Jordan Mason let slip status in TV interview

THE NFL is launching an investigation into the San Francisco 49ers’ handling of Christian McCaffrey’s injury status during their Week 1 debut.

The 49ers announced that the star running-back would not be playing with an Achilles problem just 90 minutes before the Monday Night Football game against the New York Jets .

ESPN

ESPN

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USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

But after the season opener, McCaffrey’s backup Jordan Mason revealed to ESPN reporter Lisa Salters that he knew as early as Friday that he would start the game.

“Maybe Friday, Friday night. Something like that,” Mason said.

Notably, McCaffrey was listed as merely “questionable” in the team’s final injury report on Saturday.

The U.S. Sun can reveal that the NFL is now officially investigating whether the 49ers broke league rules over the issue.

“Situations like this related to compliance with the injury report are always looked into,” the NFL said.

“That is standard protocol in any such instance.”

McCaffrey’s unexpected absence had a huge impact on both fantasy football and sports betting.

It also affected the Jets’ preparations for the game.

According to NFL policy regarding injury reports, teams are required to provide “an accurate description of a player’s injury status and his level of participation during the practice week.”

Teams must also give “an accurate description of a player’s anticipated availability for the club’s next game” by a required notice date.

In an attempt to clarify the issue, San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan denied telling Mason that he would start Friday.

Shanahan added that he didn’t tell Mason until Monday that he would be the starting running back, but did suggest that he could have a larger role due to McCaffrey’s lingering calf injury.

“I never told Jordan he was going to start. I told him he had to be ready a bunch, but that might’ve been [running backs coach Robert Turner Jr.] or somebody trying to pump him up,” Shanahan said.

“I knew he was going to have to play a lot, told him that it wasn’t going to be like usual.

“He was going to be a No. 2 back that was splitting a lot of the time, but he didn’t know for sure he was doing that until today.”

Shanahan also shared that McCaffrey’s injury bothered him “on and off throughout the week” but it hurt him too much on Monday to have him play.

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January 5 – Week 18 of regular-season

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Mason, meanwhile, was visibly frustrated after being asked again about McCaffrey’s injury status in a post-match press conference.

“That question right there is why I’m mad,” he said.

“That’s why I really don’t like talking to the media because you say one thing wrong and then…

“I don’t know. Just skip that question.”

Mason, for his part, had a career game against the Jets.

He carried the ball 28 times for 147 yards including a five-yard touchdown.

“JP was awesome today,” Shanahan said.

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