San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is experiencing a whirlwind of emotions.
After recently announcing that he and his wife, Olivia Culpo, are expecting their first child, McCaffrey was hit with heartbreaking news: the team is releasing veteran fullback Kyle Juszczyk.
McCaffrey took to Instagram to express his feelings, posting a photo of himself and Juszczyk walking off the field in their red 49ers uniforms.
“My brother,” he wrote, accompanied by a broken-heart emoji.
Juszczyk, who spent eight seasons with the 49ers, was informed of his release on Monday night, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The move will save the 49ers approximately $2.93 million against the 2025 salary cap. The 49ers signed tight end Luke Farrell to a three-year deal worth up to $20.3 million, which could impact blocking assignments previously handled by Juszczyk, per ESPN.
Juszczyk was one of the first free-agent acquisitions under head coach Kyle Shanahan and Lynch in 2017. He was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his eight seasons with San Francisco and earned First-Team All-Pro honors in 2023.
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23, left) and fullback Kyle Juszczyk (44).
© Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Over his time with the team, Juszczyk recorded 212 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 60 carries, along with 184 receptions for 1,895 yards and 13 touchdowns.
The 49ers’ decision to release Juszczyk marks a significant change in their offensive structure heading into the 2025 season. McCaffrey and seve