Christian McCaffrey is about to tick off one more family milestone Monday night, and this one comes with a little more meaning than usual.
When the 49ers host the Washington Commanders at Levi’s Stadium, McCaffrey will finally line up across from his youngest brother, Luke. It’s a matchup he’s been waiting on, and one that will complete what he called “the cycle” for the McCaffrey family.
“He’s the only brother I’ve never gotten to play with or against, so this completes the cycle of sharing the field with one,” Christian, the 49ers’ offensive dynamo, said Thursday. “I know it’s different uniforms but I’m proud of everything he’s done and I’m excited to see him.”
Christian said the first head-to-head meeting will carry some old memories with it, too.
“It’s the first time I’ve been able to play against him. It’ll be cool just to share the field,” Christian added. “Obviously there’s nostalgia with that, going back to Little League or high school.”
Luke McCaffrey is working through his third season with Washington, but he’s had a limited role so far. He has been active in only two games and sits behind veterans Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs on the depth chart.
The brothers came through Valor Christian High in Highlands Ranch, Colo., where the family pipeline was already running strong. When Christian was a senior, Dylan was just a freshman.
This stretch has been packed with family reunions for Christian. Two months ago, he crossed paths with older brother Max during the 49ers’ joint practice with the Chargers.
Max is now the running backs coach under Jim Harbaugh. Christian was on injured reserve when the 49ers beat Miami in December 2024, so he missed Max there when Max was a Dolphins assistant.
Then came Oct. 4, when Christian played - and scored - against the Denver Broncos for the first time. That was another box checked off for a family with deep football ties, considering their father, Ed, played for Denver from 1995-2003 after being part of the 1994 49ers’ Super Bowl-winning team.
The McCaffreys have had plenty else going on, too. On Sept.
29, Christian’s wife, Oliva Culpo, gave birth to their son, Roman. Christian said he, Culpo, and their children are spending time at their offseason home in Los Angeles, including 15-month-old daughter Colette.
“Don’t tell her but I’m sleeping fantastic,” Christian said.
And through it all, he’s still producing. McCaffrey has handled a lighter workload this season, with 80 touches so far compared with 108 a year ago through Week 5.
His 2026 numbers line up at 61 carries for 286 yards and five touchdowns, plus 19 catches for 137 yards. At the same point last season, he had 69 carries for 282 yards and no rushing scores, along with 39 receptions for 390 yards and three touchdowns on the way to a league-high 413 touches.
As for the family viewing party Monday night, Christian wasn’t sure exactly how Ed and Lisa McCaffrey would handle it.
“I don’t know what they’re going to do. They might just go all-black neutral,” Christian said of his parents’ wardrobe.
There will be another local family connection on the Washington sideline, too. Commanders assistant running backs coach Jesse Madden is making his Bay Area NFL debut, and he’s the grandson of Pro Football Hall of Fame coach and former broadcaster John Madden.
Washington general manager Adam Peters also has Bay Area ties. Peters spent time as the 49ers’ assistant general manager and graduated from Monta Vista High-Cupertino.
Commanders coach Dan Quinn also got his NFL start in San Francisco, beginning as a quality control coach in 2021 under Steve Mariucci. Quinn spent four seasons with the 49ers before using his work as Seahawks defensive coordinator from 2013-14 to land his first head-coaching job with Atlanta in 2015, with Kyle Shanahan serving as his offensive coordinator.
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