After 'anger,' Christian McCaffrey says trade to 49ers was 'best thing' to happen

Christian McCaffrey recently admitted that the first thing he felt when he was traded by the Carolina Panthers to the San Francisco 49ers in the middle of the 2022 season was "anger."

But as is often the case in sports, winning changes everything. That's true for McCaffrey, who helped the 49ers win 12 straight games before their-season ending loss in the NFC Championship Game. The All-Pro running back is now singing a different tune.

"In hindsight, I firmly believe it’s the best thing that ever happened to me," McCaffrey said of his trade to the 49ers at the annual Dwight Clark Legacy Series event earlier in May.

In March, McCaffrey described the range of emotions he felt when he learned of the trade, in which the 49ers gave up second-, third- and fourth-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft plus a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft to the Panthers. 

"It's a weird deal because there's so many emotions, and the first emotion is probably anger," McCaffrey said on the "Bussin' With The Boys" podcast. "Like, you guys don't want me anymore? That's really what it is. You can call it what it is. 'Well, they got a lot for you.' Nah, like you think you're better off without me; that's what it is. … You're pissed off, but then you're excited."

McCaffrey's excitement turned into stellar almost immediately for the 49ers. After lightly using him in his 49ers debut — a 44-23 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs — San Francisco dialed up McCaffrey's usage for the remainder of the season. The running back rushed for 746 yards on 4.7 yards per carry and six touchdowns. McCaffrey was also dangerous in the passing game, recording 52 receptions for 464 yards and four touchdowns in 11 regular-season games.

McCaffrey maintained his effective play in the postseason, rushing for 238 yards on six yards per carry and two touchdowns to go along with 12 receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown in three playoff games.

Speaking at the same event, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan didn't explicitly state any plans on how he'll use McCaffrey in his first full season with the team. But he described the benefit of having a player like him in his offense. 

"It makes it easier, it calms your mind a little bit. You don’t have to make as much stuff up," Shanahan said. "Everyone is, ‘Oh you got him now. How creative are you going to be?’ It’s like, um, you don’t have to be as creative.

" … The defense has got to help the guy guarding him. That’s where it gets cool. That’s what I love so much about Christian."

Shanahan noted that one advantage McCaffrey brings in particular is that he "spaces things out," which helps out the rest of the 49ers' skill players.

"He really makes it easier to get the ball to get to [George] Kittle, to Deebo [Samuel], to [Brandon] Aiyuk, to Jauan [Jennings]," Shanahan said. "As a play-caller, I’m not as stressed, because you just let it happen. I don’t care what (the defenses) do, you guys pick your poison, go ahead and double him."

As McCaffrey stated that he's "proud" to be a part of the 49ers, he recognized that the easy way to make fans and other members of the organization reciprocate that feeling is by winning. Specifically, winning the 49ers their sixth Super Bowl in franchise history.

But like the 49ers' dynasty of the ‘80s and their lone Super Bowl team in the ’90s, McCaffrey also realized that it takes more than him in order to succeed. 

"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.

"All those game-defining moments, that starts now."