With the announcement that San Francisco 49ers All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey has been placed on injured reserve, backup Jordan Mason will get a few more chances to shine in the spotlight.
Mason, who went undrafted in 2022, rushed for 147 yards in San Francisco’s 32-19 win over the New York Jets on Monday night. It was the second-best rushing performance of Week One, and Mason’s 28 carries were the most for any 49ers back since Kyle Shanahan became head coach in 2017. He’ll be looking for an encore performance as the 49ers look for their first road win of the season in Minnesota against the Vikings on Sunday.
"He's a dense, sturdy guy and he just runs downhill very physically," said San Francisco tight end George Kittle. "Hopefully he can just keep doing that."
Though his opportunities have been limited behind McCaffrey, Mason has been very productive throughout his career, averaging 5.5 yards per carry on 111 rushing attempts over 34 games.
On Sunday, he’ll face a Vikings defense that limited the New York Giants to 74 yards on the ground on 21 attempts (3.5 yards per rush). In last season’s 22-17 loss to the Vikings, the 49ers were held to 65 rushing yards on 22 carries, with McCaffrey gaining 45 yards on 15 attempts.
Mason will also have to outduel former Pro Bowler Aaron Jones. Jones rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown in Week One, gaining almost seven yards per carry. He has more than 100 yards from scrimmage in his last two games against the 49ers.
After his success on Monday night, Mason won’t be sneaking up on anyone. For his part, Mason believes he’s up to the challenge.
"You just got to have that heart," Mason said. "You got to have that dog in you to want it. It builds up and you just play with all you got."
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