Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson Both on Pace for 1,000 Yards Rushing and Receiving

In a league where dual-threat running backs have become a rare luxury, Christian McCaffrey and Bijan Robinson are making the impossible look routine. As the 2025 NFL season crosses its midway point, both stars are on pace to join one of football’s most exclusive clubs — players who have surpassed 1,000 yards in both rushing and receiving in a single season. It’s a feat so rare that only three names in history — Roger Craig (1985), Marshall Faulk (1999), and McCaffrey himself (2019) — have ever achieved it.

For McCaffrey, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, this pace feels like a return to his natural rhythm. Since joining the San Francisco 49ers, he’s transformed their offense into a nightmare for defensive coordinators. His vision, patience, and unmatched versatility allow head coach Kyle Shanahan to line him up anywhere — out wide, in the slot, or behind the quarterback. Through seven games, McCaffrey has already eclipsed 750 yards from scrimmage, averaging over 130 total yards per contest.

“C-Mac just changes the game,” Shanahan said after the team’s latest win. “It’s not just about what he does with the ball — it’s how defenses have to react to him. That opens up everything for everyone else.”

Meanwhile, in Atlanta, Bijan Robinson is turning potential into production. After a promising rookie year that showcased flashes of brilliance, the Falcons’ star sophomore has emerged as the focal point of an offense desperate for identity. His combination of burst, balance, and soft hands out of the backfield has drawn comparisons to a young McCaffrey — and this season, he’s proving those parallels are no exaggeration.

Gruden responded with a lawsuit, accusing the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell of orchestrating a “malicious and selective leak” designed to destroy his career. His legal team argued that the league had acted in bad faith, intentionally releasing private correspondence to pressure the Raiders into terminating his contract. The NFL denied the accusations and immediately sought to move the case from Nevada state court to federal court, citing broader jurisdictional authority.

For months, the two sides battled not just over the merits of the case, but over where it should be heard. In July, a federal appeals court ruled that the case should indeed return to Nevada state court—a significant procedural win for Gruden, who had long argued that a local jury should determine whether he was unfairly targeted. The NFL’s latest motion to dismiss, therefore, represents both a legal counterpunch and a statement of confidence that Gruden’s claims cannot withstand judicial scrutiny.

In its filing, the league reiterated its position that it had “no role in the public disclosure of the emails” and that Gruden’s lawsuit “rests on speculation rather than evidence.” League attorneys also argued that Gruden, as a public figure, cannot claim defamation without proof of actual malice—an extraordinarily high bar to meet. “The law is clear,” one section of the motion read, “that the dissemination of accurate information, no matter how unflattering, does not constitute unlawful conduct.”

Gruden’s legal team, however, remains undeterred. In a statement released through his attorney, Adam Hosmer-Henner, they reaffirmed their intention to continue fighting the case in state court. “Coach Gruden has always sought a fair hearing before a Nevada jury,” the statement said. “We look forward to presenting the evidence that the NFL selectively leaked emails to force his resignation and damage his reputation.”

For legal experts, the case is a fascinating collision between privacy, power, and public image. “This isn’t just about Jon Gruden,” said University of Nevada law professor Marianne Wood. “It’s about how much control the NFL exerts over its internal investigations and the narratives that follow. If Gruden can prove intent behind the leak, it could set a precedent that makes future league probes far more transparent.”

The league, meanwhile, has a strong incentive to shut the door on the case before discovery—when both sides would gain access to internal communications and records—moves forward. Such a phase could reveal more about how the NFL managed the Washington Commanders’ investigation and the handling of Gruden’s emails, potentially reopening wounds the league has tried to heal.