At first glance, Christian McCaffrey’s receiving acumen and breakaway ability may remind some of Warrick Dunn and James White. But if you watch the tape, or just on any given Sunday, it’s no surprise that McCaffrey credits Marshall Faulk and LaDainian Tomlinson as those who set the path that he’s now on.
McCaffrey breaks the mold for what you might expect the best running back in the NFL to look like. While not an imposing figure, his ability to run between the tackles and be a move weapon in the passing game is a rare feat in today’s NFL.
Is Christian McCaffrey Already the Top Weapon of His Era?
Last season’s trade by the San Francisco 49ers to bring McCaffrey to the Bay Area paid immediate dividends for the Niners. They were a Brock Purdy injury away from a potential trip to the Super Bowl in 2023 and now with a healthy ‘Artist Formerly Known as Mr. Irrelevant’ in tow, McCaffrey and the 49ers are ready for their shot at the Lombardi Trophy.
At Opening Night at Allegiant Stadium, McCaffrey was one of 10 San Francisco players to have his own booth as he faced a barrage of questions for nearly an hour, ranging from the Chiefs, his faith, his favorite Jordans (1s by the way, just ahead of the 11s) and his favorite Rhode Island restaurants — he listed his fiancée Olivia Culpo’s eatery, The Back40, second.
But while McCaffrey may have struggled to place some of his top Ocean State eateries, he was quick to credit those who came before him and guys he still talks to now as resources and guides for his All-Pro career.
“A couple of years ago I reached out to Marshall Faulk and just asked for some advice on some things — see if there was something I could add to my toolbox,” said McCaffrey.
It must have worked as that same shiftiness combined with raw power we saw from Faulk and the Greatest Show on Turf is set for the biggest spotlight with McCaffrey taking center stage for the Niners in Super Bowl LVIII.
It was just Super Bowl greats that McCaffrey reached out to as a connection at coordinator led him to Tomlinson, the Chargers’ great. The coaching relationship with Norv Turner made it easy for McCaffrey to bounce ideas off LT and try and see the game through his eyes.
“I always appreciate when guys like that (LT) take some time to give advice to the younger generation. Big fans of both those guys — they were pioneers.”
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The conversations between McCaffrey and Faulk and Tomlinson often stretched beyond X’s and O’s with offseason training, prepping for upcoming seasons, and in-season taking care of their bodies.
Don’t be surprised to see some of the same body movements, broken tackles, jukes, stiff arms, and amazing plays on Sunday that we saw for decades from Faulk and Tomlinson. Whether we’ll see LT signature touchdown celebrations remains to be seen.
As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!