San Francisco 49er’s Christian McCaffrey scored four touchdowns which vaulted the 49ers toward a 35-16 win over the Cardinals on Sunday.
McCaffrey nearly matched the franchise’s single-game touchdown record, but a potential fifth score was denied at the 2-yard line on a 2-yard run in the final minutes, and rather than give him the ball again, coach Kyle Shanahan called for a Brock Purdy sneak from inside the 1 to cap the scoring spree.
“Honestly I had no idea until I came in here he had four touchdowns,” Shanahan said in his press conference. “I’m kind of shocked. Now I kind of feel bad.”
Quarterback Brock Purdy set a franchise record himself, completing 20-of-21 (283 yards) and starting 13-of-13. He remains unbeaten in regular-season starts, and has gone 211 consecutive passes without an interception.
The win secured a 4-0 record for only the fifth time in franchise history.
The 49ers end their three-game homestand next Sunday night when the Dallas Cowboys return to the site of their divisional-playoff loss, 19-12, on Jan. 22.
Staff reporter Cam Inman contributed to this report.
San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey (23) celebrates his fourth touchdown of the game, with a golf swing, against the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey (23) runs with the ball against the Arizona Cardinals in the first quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey (23) scores a touchdown, his first of the game, against Arizona Cardinals’ Ezekiel Turner (47) in the first quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey (23) runs against Arizona Cardinals’ Ezekiel Turner (47) in the first quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey (23) scores a touchdown, his second of the game, against Arizona Cardinals’ Jalen Thompson (34) in the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback Brock Purdy (13) celebrates his touchdown with San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey (23) against the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey (23) scores a touchdown, his third of the game, against Arizona Cardinals’ Dennis Gardeck (45) in the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey (23) celebrates his fourth touchdown of the game against the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey (23) scores a touchdown against Arizona Cardinals’ Ezekiel Turner (47) in the first quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey (23) celebrates his fourth touchdown of the game with San Francisco 49ers’ Deebo Samuel (19) against the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
