49ers' Shanahan won't choose between Purdy, McCaffrey for MVP

The San Francisco 49ers roster two MVP candidates this season in quarterback Brock Purdy and running back Christian McCaffrey.

For Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan, picking one to win the league's most prestigious individual award is a hard task.

"Are you trying to get me in trouble with those two guys?" Shanahan said. "That's the only reason I wouldn't overly comment on either one of them - because I don't want them to cancel each other out."

Purdy has been football's most efficient quarterback. The second-year passer leads the league in several categories, including completion percentage, passer rating, total quarterback rating, and EPA/play. The last four passers who topped the league in EPA/play won the MVP.

Purdy and Dallas Cowboys star Dak Prescott are the front-runners for the MVP award. Quarterbacks have won the honor in each of the last 10 seasons.

"If any non-quarterback's going to get an MVP, I don't get how Christian McCaffrey can't," Shanahan said. "He's amazing in what he has done all year.

"If it's going to a quarterback, then … I can talk about our quarterback. If his numbers are all you see, then I think that solves it up. But, if you watch the film then it makes it even stronger, which to me is the most important thing."

McCaffrey has rushed for a league-high 1,177 yards (5.2 per carry) to go along with 12 touchdowns. He also tops the NFL in touches (278) and scrimmage yards (1,614). The 27-year-old has scored at least one TD in all but two games in 2023.

The 10-3 Niners own the No. 1 seed in the NFL. They beat the Prescott-led Cowboys 42-10 in Week 5.

Tyreek Hill is another skill-position player in the MVP race, as the Miami Dolphins wide receiver is on pace to become the first player ever to top 2,000 receiving yards in a single season. However, the MVP has never been awarded to a wideout. The last non-quarterback to win it was former Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson in 2012.