49ers running back Christian McCaffrey recently said the trade that sent him from Carolina to San Francisco was “the best thing that ever happened to me.”
This past Friday, the 26-year-old recognized his remark may have come off as a dig at his former employer. During an appearance on Good Morning Football, he clarified that he harbors no ill will toward the Panthers:
“I was very fortunate to come into a team that built a culture and had taken time to build a culture. To add on top of the roster, in my opinion, some of the best coaches in the NFL and guys who know how to use players like myself and have been doing it for so long. I just felt very fortunate to be a part of something that was already so developed so to say and like I said a culture that was established.
“I do want to make it clear that was nothing against Carolina when I said that. I have no bad blood and I love everybody there. I still keep in touch with a lot of my teammates there and a lot of the coaches who I had the privilege of playing for there.”
Back in October 2022, the Carolina Panthers traded McCaffrey to the 49ers in exchange for draft capital. He joined a star-studded San Francisco offense that included George Kittle and Deebo Samuel, and he thrived in his new home.
McCaffrey rushed for 749 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games with the 49ers.
For the Panthers, they would make another huge trade with the Chicago Bears to secure the No. 1 pick and select Bryce Young as their future quarterback.
This was the third time the Panthers have had the top pick. They had it in their first season, 1995, but traded it to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for the No. 5 pick and No. 36 in the second round. They selected quarterback Kerry Collins at No. 5.
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They also had the top pick in 2011 and selected Auburn’s Cam Newton, who went on to win the 2015 MVP and lead Carolina to the Super Bowl.
In the end, everything worked out for McCaffrey and the Panthers.
