San Francisco 49ers superstar Christian McCaffrey is widely regarded as the best running back in the NFL. The reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year and four-time All-Pro is a unique offensive weapon that can dominate on the ground and through the air.
Is McCaffrey paid like the best back in the league? Let’s examine his contract, 2024 salary, and career earnings.
Christian McCaffrey Contract and Salary
McCaffrey was traded to the 49ers in 2022 and signed a new deal with the club in June 2024. The Niners ripped up the two existing years on his contract, extending him through the 2027 season while upping his average annual value to $19 million.
McCaffrey had $24.2 million remaining over his previous two years. He received $38 million in new money on top of that total, including $24 million in new guarantees.
The 49ers paid McCaffrey a $14.29 million signing bonus in 2024, allowing them to spread that money out over multiple seasons and keep his cap charge relatively low.
Option bonuses in 2025 ($14.245 million) and 2026 ($10.55 million) won’t hit San Francisco’s cap this year.
This year, McCaffrey’s base salary is just $1.2 million, and he has a signing bonus of $2.8 million, a restructure bonus of $2.1 million, and a roster bonus of $470,588. As a result, his cap hit is just $6.68 million this season. His cap hit is manageable in 2025 ($9.8 million) and 2026 ($9.7 million) as well. Then, in 2027, his cap hit jumps to $25.3 million.
McCaffrey has been the NFL’s highest-paid running back for five consecutive years, and this season is no different. McCaffrey’s $19 million is by far the most at his position; the next-highest-paid running back is Indianapolis Colts star Jonathan Taylor, who is averaging $14 million per year.
More importantly — at least, from McCaffrey’s perspective — he will earn significantly more in the near term thanks to his new deal.
Throughout the course of his professional career, McCaffrey has earned $81,649,263 from his NFL contracts alone.
McCaffrey has been utterly dominant since San Francisco acquired him from the Carolina Panthers at the NFL’s 2022 trade deadline.
In 2022, he posted 1,210 yards from scrimmage and scored 10 touchdowns in 11 regular-season games. McCaffrey finished second in the NFL Comeback Player of the Year voting and earned his fourth Pro Bowl nod.
In 2023, CMC posted 2,023 yards from scrimmage despite sitting out Week 18; no other RB put up more than 1,600. His 21 total touchdowns tied for the NFL lead, while he generated more first downs — both in the passing game (31) and the running game (83) — than any other running back.
In addition to OPOY, McCaffrey won first-team All-Pro honors and finished third in MVP voting behind Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson and Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott.
However, in 2024, McCaffrey was sidelined for much of the season due to Achilles tendinitis in both legs. He made his season debut in Week 10, but then got reinjured in Week 13 against the Buffalo Bills.