Christian McCaffrey’s Contract Makes Him Football’s Highest Paid Running Back
He’s one of the NFL’s most talented running backs and Christian McCaffrey’s contract reflects his value. But because the shelf life of the running back position can be lower than others on the football field, some teams aren’t prepared to shell out a lot for them, even for stars like Run CMC.
Born on June 7, 1996, McCaffrey hails from a family with a strong football background; his father, Ed, was an NFL wide receiver. McCaffrey played college football at Stanford University, where he achieved significant recognition as a running back and return specialist.
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In 2017, McCaffrey was selected eighth overall in the NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. He quickly emerged as one of the league’s most dynamic and multifaceted offensive players. McCaffrey’s standout skills include his ability to excel both as a rusher and a receiver, making him a dual-threat weapon. He set numerous records and received several accolades, including being named First-Team All-Pro and earning Pro Bowl selections. In October 2022, the Panthers traded McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers for 2023 second, third, and fourth-round picks and a 2024 fifth-round pick.
“The example he sets for everybody and the guy is, I mean, he reminds me of just a basic mentality, like a walk-on guy who’s just trying to get people’s attention for working so hard,” 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said on the one-year anniversary of McCaffrey’s move to California, per Newsweek. “Just how good he has been from what you guys have seen, how dependable he has been, how reliable he has been, how he learns everything, not just the running backs and stuff. So, it’s real easy to put a lot on his plate, move him around each week,” he said.
“I think just the example he sets for everybody and the guy is, I mean, he reminds me of just a basic mentality, like a walk-on guy, who’s just trying to get people’s attention for working so hard. He is one of the most talented guys in the league and was in college coming out and every single play it’s like the biggest thing in the world, whether he is getting the ball or not. It’s a really great example of how to be, as a football player.” So what are the details of Christian McCaffrey’s contract? Here’s everything we know.
Christian McCaffrey’s contract
Christian McCaffrey’s contract with the Carolina Panthers was a four-year, $64 million deal. But in 2022, he was traded to San Francisco in exchange for the team’s second, third and fourth round picks in 2023 and fifth-round pick in 2024.
His deal was renegotiated in the 2023 season so San Francisco could make salary-cap space to sign each of their nine draft picks. McCaffrey is signed to the 49ers through the 2025 season with scheduled salaries of $11.8 million in 2024 and $12 million in 2025. Two additional “void” years were added to allow for more flexibility on the salary cap.
“It just gives us some room,” 49ers general manager John Lynch told NBC Sport at the conclusion of the 2023 NFL Draft. “We were pressed right up there when we were to sign our rookies. We wanted to have some flexibility and it made sense. Christian’s going to be here, simple conversion, and we did it, and we’re thankful to Christian for agreeing to do it. Good thing for him. Good thing for us.”
McCaffrey will still get every penny of his scheduled $11.8 million base salary for the 2023 NFL season, only now his pay will come in the form of a $10.72 million signing bonus and a base salary of $1.08 million.
McCaffrey is the number one ranked running back on the 2023/24 season, having generated more than 210 carries for over 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns. Extrapolated over 17 games, CMC’s pace would put him at 377 touches for the season.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said that he felt the all-star running back’s workload was sustainable. “I mean, we treat him as our starting running back,” the coach responded. “So, I don’t really think of how many touches we want to get somebody in a year, that’s week-to-week and how the game goes. But he gets a lot more extra because he gets thrown to so much in the passing game. I’m happy with how he’s being used. I’m happy with how he’s been playing, and we’ll see how the rest of the year goes.”
When it comes to fantasy football, McCaffrey told MAXIM that it—including his bragging rights as one of the most in-demand players—isn’t really talked about with his fellow players.
“It’s never discussed; I don’t know if I’ve ever had a fantasy football conversation in an NFL locker room. I think the thing with fantasy is especially offensive skill players have mixed emotions about what it’s done for our game,” he said in June 2023. “Obviously we love it because it’s brought so many new viewers into football, but at the same time part of what makes football so great is the team aspect, and certain plays—say if you pick up a blitz that leads to someone throwing a touchdown, that’s a big play that might not go on the fantasy sheet but that’s rewarded in our game. It’s a selfless game.”
He continued: “When it comes to my experience and just my interactions with fans, sometimes that’s all anyone talks about. People are fans of specific people rather than the overall team. You could have a great game on film, but your fantasy owners might hate you. It’s good and bad for the game. But to your question, not a lot of fantasy conversations in the locker room.”
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Christian McCaffrey’s net worth
Christian McCaffrey’s net worth is around $30 million. News started to stir when McCaffrey’s mom, claimed that his fiance Olivia Culpo tried to buy a suite for their family to watch McCaffrey at the Super Bowl. “We looked into a suite,” Lisa McCafrey explained on the Feb. 1 episode of the Your Mom podcast, “and none of us can afford it. Not even Christian, moneybags over there. Nor moneybags Olivia.”
Culpo responded to Lisa’s comments in a Feb. 2 Instagram Story, saying, “@lisamccaffrey fake news!” The former Miss Universe also updated: “Happy birthday Lisa I bought you a suite.”
However, McCaffrey shut down the claims. “She tried to [buy a suite],” McCaffrey told ExtraTV during a Feb. 6 press conference, “but I will not let anybody pay to watch me play.”
Despite the suite drama, Culpo is looking forward to seeing her fiancé play the Super Bowl. “I feel like it’s just a crazy moment because it’s the accumulation of so much hard work and energy. He’s such a great person, he’s such a hard worker, there’s nobody in the world that deserves it more than him,” she told People. “First and foremost we’re very grateful and I always just want him to come out healthy and happy.”
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