Olivia Culpo said she was “so proud” of husband Christian McCaffrey for the way he has responded to a challenging season in the wake of a likely season-ending knee injury.
The 49ers put their superstar running back on injured reserve earlier this week — his second time on IR this year — after he suffered a sprained PCL during San Francisco’s 35-10 loss to the Bills in snowy Buffalo on Sunday night.
On Wednesday, McCaffrey shared an Instagram message that said, “When it rains, it pours,” and promised to come back better from this.
“So proud of you, husband,” Culpo, 32, wrote on her Instagram Story, where she re-shared McCaffrey’s post.
The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model also commented, “I love you so much. So proud of you always.”
“Football is the greatest game on the planet to me,” McCaffrey, 28, wrote in his initial post that featured a black-and-white snap of him walking out of the tunnel and onto the field.
“I love that you can find out exactly who you are without ever saying a word. It lifts you up and breaks you down and it can happen fast. It’s humbling in the best ways. You can do everything right and still fail. That’s life and that’s football. It’s a constant test of wills and those who just keep going tend to reap the benefits of their perseverance.
“This wasn’t my year, and sometimes when it rains, it pours. You can feel sorry for yourself and listen to the birds, or you can hold the line. I’m grateful for the support of everyone in my corner and promise I’ll work smarter and harder than ever to come back better from this. I love my teammates, I love the 9ers, and I love football. God doesn’t miss. Onward ➡️🙏🏼.”
An MRI exam on Monday determined McCaffrey suffered a PCL strain, with a recovery timetable of about six weeks.
Despite the 49ers sitting at 5-7 on the season and fourth in the NFC West, head coach Kyle Shanahan left the door slightly ajar on a McCaffrey return this year.
When asked if the former first-round pick could return for the postseason, head coach Kyle Shanahan said, “Yeah, I believe so,” according to NFL Network.
The IR stint will have McCaffrey sidelined through Week 17 and it’s possible the 49ers could be eliminated from playoff contention before the Week 18 finale.
McCaffrey appeared to suffer a non-contact knee injury when he slid down on a run in the second quarter of the snowy clash in Buffalo and was ruled out for the remainder of the game.
That was just McCaffrey’s fourth game this season after he dealt with Achilles tendinitis in both legs and a calf injury.
The 49ers elevated rookie Isaac Guerendo to take over as their lead back since they also placed backup running back Jordan Mason on IR with an ankle injury.
Prior to the start of the season, McCaffrey married Culpo in a star-studded Rhode Island affair on June 29.
They have been together since 2019.
