Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Preseason football is here, and the hosts dig into what actually matters for the San Francisco 49ers heading into Week 1 — starting with Brock Purdy's limited snaps tonight against the Chargers and why a clean, quick outing matters more than the stat line. From there, the conversation shifts to the real storyline of the offseason: Christian McCaffrey's workload. The hosts break down the numbers behind his 47% touch rate last year, why the Niners' run game was oddly the worst of the Kyle Shanahan era despite a healthy CMC, and why rookie third-round pick Kaelon Black might be the key to finally taking pressure off him. They also get into how a deeper receiving corps — Deebo, Mike Evans, De'Zhaun Stribling, and a returning George Kittle — could finally give this offense the explosive plays it was missing in 2024. The segment wraps with an honest, personal moment: how much preseason football has become defined by fan anxiety over injuries instead of excitement, and whether that can ever change.
Topics discussed include:
Brock Purdy's preseason snap plan
Kaelon Black and the new-look backfield
Christian McCaffrey's touch count and success rate
Why the Niners' run game struggled in 2024
How a deeper receiving corps changes the offense
Managing fan worry heading into the season
Do you think the Niners can finally lighten CMC's load without losing production? Let us know in the comments.
0:00 – Brock Purdy's Preseason Plan
1:06 – Kaelon Black and the New Backfield
2:39 – CMC's Touch Count Breakdown
5:12 – Why the Run Game Struggled Last Year
9:19 – Starters Playing Tonight & Fan Worry
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Preseason football is here, and the hosts dig into what actually matters for the San Francisco 49ers heading into Week 1 — starting with Brock Purdy's limited snaps tonight against the Chargers and why a clean, quick outing matters more than the stat line. From there, the conversation shifts to the real storyline of the offseason: Christian McCaffrey's workload. The hosts break down the numbers behind his 47% touch rate last year, why the Niners' run game was oddly the worst of the Kyle Shanahan era despite a healthy CMC, and why rookie third-round pick Kaelon Black might be the key to finally taking pressure off him. They also get into how a deeper receiving corps — Deebo, Mike Evans, De'Zhaun Stribling, and a returning George Kittle — could finally give this offense the explosive plays it was missing in 2024. The segment wraps with an honest, personal moment: how much preseason football has become defined by fan anxiety over injuries instead of excitement, and whether that can ever change.
Topics discussed include:
Brock Purdy's preseason snap plan
Kaelon Black and the new-look backfield
Christian McCaffrey's touch count and success rate
Why the Niners' run game struggled in 2024
How a deeper receiving corps changes the offense
Managing fan worry heading into the season
Do you think the Niners can finally lighten CMC's load without losing production? Let us know in the comments.
0:00 – Brock Purdy's Preseason Plan
1:06 – Kaelon Black and the New Backfield
2:39 – CMC's Touch Count Breakdown
5:12 – Why the Run Game Struggled Last Year
9:19 – Starters Playing Tonight & Fan Worry
Download the Audacy app to never miss any of your favorite 957 The Game content:
go.audacy.com/y-listen-live-957thegame
Listen live: audacy.com/957thegame/listen
Visit our website: 957thegame.com
Subscribe on Twitch: twitch.tv/957thegame
Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/957thegame
Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/957thegame
Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/957thegame
Join our Newsletter: audacy.com/957thegame/join-our-clubs/mvp-club
