Christian McCaffrey has admitted that there was some “anger” over the Carolina Panthers’ decision to move him ahead of the 2022 NFL trade deadline.
McCaffrey had spent each of his first full NFL seasons with the Panthers, whom the franchise drafted eighth overall back in 2017. But with the Panthers out of the playoff race at the time, they opted to sell at the deadline.
Carolina wound up trading McCaffrey to the Super Bowl contending San Francisco 49ers for 2023 second, third and fourth-round draft selections plus a 2024 fifth-rounder.
During an appearance on the “Bussin’ with the Boys” podcast (h/t Michael Gallagher of YardBarker), McCaffrey explained his feeling of “anger” following the trade to San Francisco:
“It’s a weird deal because there’s so many emotions, and the first emotion is probably anger. Like, you guys don’t want me anymore. That’s really 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. There’s so many emotions that get flooded at you at once…I don’t know if I’ve fully decompressed yet from the whole thing.”
Suffice to say, the trade worked out well for all parties.
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The 49ers went 10-1 in the regular season with McCaffrey in the lineup; the only loss came in Week 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs in McCaffrey’s San Francisco debut. McCaffrey helped the 49ers advance all the way to the NFC Championship Game, but injuries to starting QB Brock Purdy (UCL) and backup Josh Johnson (concussion) derailed the 49ers’ hopes against the Philadelphia Eagles.
In 11 regular season games with San Francisco, McCaffrey finished with a whopping 1,210 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns. In the postseason, “Run CMC” had 299 yards of offense and three total touchdowns.
Carolina made a mini second-half run under interim head coach Steve Wilks, going 6-6 under his guidance and falling just one game short of the NFC South division crown.
McCaffrey was the franchise star of a Carolina team that was mired in mediocrity. Now he gets the chance to follow his father’s footsteps and win a Super Bowl with the 49ers.
