NFL issues statement after investigating 49ers over Christian McCaffrey injury fiasco

The San Francisco 49ers defeated the New York Jets 32-19 on Monday, celebrating a dominant start to the season but sparking a heated debate in the process.

Just hours before kickoff in Santa Clara, California, the 49ers were eliminated from the contest because superstar running back Christian McCaffrey was no longer in action. San Francisco received 147 yards from backup running back Jordan Mason – but Mason indicated that he knew days in advance that he would be in the starting lineup.

The whole saga sparked an NFL investigation that ended Friday without the 49ers being penalized.

“We have reviewed the 49ers' reporting of Christian McCaffrey's game status for the team's Monday night game against the New York Jets,” the NFL said in a statement, via NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. “We have found no evidence of a violation of the league's injury reporting policies in this matter.”

McCaffrey has been recovering from a calf and Achilles tendon injury since training camp, and San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan indicated Friday that the team is considering placing him on the injured list.

The 49ers’ game against the Minnesota Vikings is scheduled for Sunday afternoon.