After a tough playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Christian McCaffrey isn’t dwelling on disappointment - he’s focused on gratitude. For the San Francisco 49ers star running back, the 2025 season was about more than just wins and losses. It was about resilience, perspective, and a return to elite form.
“There’s only one team happy at the end of the year,” McCaffrey said, reflecting on the season. “Obviously, we wanted it to be us … but I look back on this season and feel really grateful.”
And honestly, he has every reason to be. Coming off a frustrating 2024 campaign where injuries limited him to just four games, McCaffrey bounced back in a big way in 2025.
He racked up over 1,200 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, while also catching 102 passes for 924 yards and seven more scores. That’s over 2,100 yards from scrimmage and 17 total touchdowns - the kind of production that reminds everyone why he’s one of the most complete backs in the game.
The league took notice, too. McCaffrey earned First-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors, a testament to both his individual brilliance and the way he helped power the Niners’ offense all season long. Whether it was slipping out of the backfield for a clutch third-down catch or slicing through defenses with his trademark vision and burst, McCaffrey was the engine that kept San Francisco moving.
But even with the accolades and the eye-popping stats, McCaffrey made it clear that what mattered most to him wasn’t just the numbers - it was the experience of going to battle with his teammates.
“It wasn’t a negative year,” he said. “It’s not one I’ll look back on and be resentful of. I felt grateful to go to battle with those guys.”
That perspective might also be rooted in what’s happening off the field. McCaffrey and his wife, Olivia Culpo, recently welcomed a baby girl into their lives - a life-changing moment that’s clearly shifted his focus.
“Seeing how good she is at it, I feel like the luckiest guy,” he said, praising Culpo’s parenting. “It’s been such a blessing, man. You come home, see your little girl smile … and nothing else really matters.”
It’s a grounded outlook from a player who’s been through the highs and lows of the NFL grind. Since joining the 49ers, McCaffrey has already helped lead the team to a Super Bowl appearance - a dramatic overtime loss to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 58. That one still stings, but it also serves as fuel.
Now, as the 49ers turn their focus to 2026, they do so with a healthy, motivated McCaffrey at the heart of their offense. Meanwhile, their NFC West rivals, the Seahawks, are preparing for a Super Bowl 60 showdown with the New England Patriots - a reminder of just how competitive the division remains.
For McCaffrey, the mission is clear: build on a stellar 2025, stay healthy, and help the 49ers get back to the big stage. And if his performance this past season is any indication, he’s more than ready for the challenge.