CMC makes history with TD trifecta in 49ers’ win

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — It didn’t take new San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey long to carve out a piece of history on his new team.

On a day when the Niners beat the NFC West rival Los Angeles Rams without do-it-all receiver Deebo Samuel, McCaffrey offered the ultimate in versatile performances. McCaffrey threw for, ran for and caught a touchdown in San Francisco’s 31-14 victory, as the Niners moved to 4-4.

With his 1-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter, McCaffrey became the first player since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2005 to throw for, run for and catch a touchdown in the same game. McCaffrey is the fourth player since the 1970 merger to complete the trifecta.

It was the eighth straight regular-season win for the Niners against the Rams but McCaffrey’s first taste of the rivalry. He fit right in, having a hand in 183 yards from scrimmage, including 94 yards rushing and 55 yards receiving on 27 touches.

McCaffrey got his big day started with his second career touchdown pass. On second-and-8 from the Rams’ 34 with 12:10 left in the second quarter, Niners quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo threw to McCaffrey in the right flat. McCaffrey caught it behind the line of scrimmage and rolled to his right before looking deep down the right side for wideout Brandon Aiyuk.

McCaffrey lofted a pass with enough air under it for Aiyuk to turn multiple times and haul it in for a touchdown.

McCaffrey added to his highlight reel late in the third quarter when he climbed the ladder in the right corner of the end zone to haul in a 9-yard touchdown pass from Garoppolo to give the Niners a 17-14 lead.

The receiving touchdown was the first one McCaffrey scored as a Niner and put him in some rare company in franchise history. McCaffrey and Emmanuel Sanders (Week 14 of 2019) are the only Niners to have a passing touchdown and a receiving touchdown in the same game in the past 70 years.

McCaffrey’s huge performance came in his second game as a Niner and his first following a full week of practice. San Francisco dealt second-, third- and fourth-round picks in 2023 and a fifth-round selection in 2024 to the Carolina Panthers for McCaffrey in an Oct. 20 trade.