Christian McCaffrey recalls ‘whirlwind’ ordeal of shocking trade that sent him from Panthers to 49ers

Christian McCaffrey says his 2022 trade from the Carolina Panthers to the San Francisco 49ers happened with little warning and left him scrambling to adjust. The account shows how quickly an NFL player’s plans can change, while the move later became a major turning point in his career.

McCaffrey was traded on a Thursday night, around 11pm Eastern time, after San Francisco offered Carolina four draft picks. He flew to California at 7am the next morning, missing the chance to say goodbye to his Panthers team-mates, then spent the next 48 hours learning the 49ers’ plays so he would not miss a game. He later reached the Super Bowl with San Francisco and won the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award.