When the San Francisco 49ers acquired running back Christian McCaffrey in a trade ahead of the deadline last season, there were a lot of mixed emotions. Being traded is part of the business but it isn’t an easy thing to deal with as so much goes into it.
Not only are you changing teams with new teammates and coaches, but your personal life is uprooted as well. McCaffrey was going from the east coast with the Carolina Panthers to San Francisco on the west coast.
When he first heard about being traded to the 49ers, McCaffrey admitted that he was angry about the move. But, now that he has had time to settle in with his new team, those feelings have dissipated. In fact, he has done a total 180-degree turn.
“In hindsight, I firmly believe it’s the best thing that ever happened to me,” McCaffrey said at the annual Dwight Clark Legacy Series event, via Cam Inman of Bay Area News Group.
Interestingly, McCaffrey was so mad about being traded from a losing team to a winning one. The Panthers had one win at the time he was traded while people had high expectations for the 49ers to get their season on track. After losing their first game with him on the team, San Francisco ripped off 10 straight wins to end the regular season and advanced to the NFC Championship Game.
McCaffrey remained as productive as usual with the 49ers despite not having a full grasp of their playbook. He gained 1,210 total yards with 10 touchdowns in 11 games, becoming an integral part of their offense. But, he knows it will take more than just him to reach the ultimate goal of winning the Lombardi Trophy.
“It takes everybody,” McCaffrey said. “This is the biggest team game in the world that gets so much individual attention.
“You’ve got guys named the G.O.A.T., and this and that. It’s true and it’s great. But no one is anybody without their teammates in this game. That’s what makes it so special. That’s why people watch. That’s why we love to play it.”
The last time that the 49ers won a Super Bowl his father, Ed McCaffrey, was on the team. While he was disappointed in being traded originally, there likely isn’t a franchise he would have rather landed with.
“I say this with the utmost respect, this is a family,” McCaffrey said. “It’s the first time I felt like, even alumni, just getting to know these guys, it’s special; it’s different, and there’s a reason it’s sustainable and has been for so long. The word I would use now is, just very proud to be a part of this organization.”
That drought could have ended earlier this year had Brock Purdy not injured his elbow in the NFCCG against the Philadelphia Eagles. His backup Josh Johnson also was forced out of the game because of a concussion, leading to McCaffrey taking some snaps under center.
With some uncertainty at the quarterback spot for the 49ers, there is a chance that McCaffrey could have an even bigger role in 2023. Whatever the team needs he is ready to provide as he has only one goal in mind and that is winning.
