Christian McCaffrey is the bellcow of the San Francisco 49ers’ offense. He’s the man who very well might lead the 49ers to their first Super Bowl championship since 1994. But before he became a superstar running back, his connection to football seemed deep in his family.
You might hear a lot about Ed McCaffrey, Christian’s father, on the broadcast this Super Bowl Sunday. Beyond the parental connection, the senior McCaffrey was an NFL difference-making receiver long before his son became one of the most gifted multipurpose offensive weapons ever. (Oh, and they both played at Stanford during their respective college football careers!)
Ed McCaffrey is best known for his tenure with the Denver Broncos from 1995-2003. He was instrumental in Denver’s back-to-back Super Bowl wins from 1997-1998, acting as John Elway’s No. 2 receiver who also blocked well for Terrell Davis in the open field. He was renowned for his toughness and selflessness. The peak individual achievement of McCaffrey’s career might have been a Second-Team All-Pro nod in 1994.
Ironically, McCaffrey also has a Super Bowl ring with the 1994 49ers, though he was not a significant contributor to that team. His son, by contrast, can be a central lynchpin for a 49ers’ title by helping to beat the Kansas City Chiefs in Las Vegas.
