Christian McCaffrey reflects on how his trade to the 49ers happened

Christian McCaffrey discusses his trade to the 49ers in depth.

Nov 16, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) looks on in the second half against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

The San Francisco 49ers take on the Carolina Panthers in Week 11, marking their first meeting in three years — and the first time 49ers veteran Christian McCaffrey will face his former team.

In October 2022, the 49ers sent three 2023 picks and a 2024 fifth-rounder to Carolina for McCaffrey. Three years later, it’s clear the trade has become one of the most impactful moves in modern NFL history.

In such a short span of time, McCaffrey has already reached a Super Bowl and won the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year award. This season, he’s on pace to become the first player in NFL history to record 1,000 rushing and receiving yards in multiple seasons.

Upon reflecting on his trade to the 49ers McCaffrey shared: "Getting traded to San Francisco has opened my eyes to so much. It was a huge blessing, but it was also a bittersweet moment for me at the time.

“I loved Charlotte, I loved Carolina. It’s where I still have a home. I loved my teammates and I was a captain on that team and so it’s weird when you get traded in the middle of the year.

"But when I look back on my journey and what’s happened and what’s transpired since then, I can’t help but look back and just be so grateful for the opportunity to come to San Fran.”

Nov 16, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) looks on in the second half against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

That faithful week in October was a busy and unpredictable time for the 29-year-old. He was ultimately traded on Thursday ahead of the 49ers’ matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, before suiting up in red and gold by Sunday. McCaffrey even shared he was close to joining the Los Angeles Rams.

“That week was a weird week for me,” he said. “It’s hard not to hear the talk around you about it, but I really just tried to lock in and focus on practice, focus on meetings.

“It’s a confusing mindset to be in, when there is that looming over your shoulder. And so that week was a weird week for me…. I wanted to play on Sunday.

"I didn’t know where it was going to be, but I knew I was going to play… But I thought I was going to the Rams, just because that’s what I had heard.

"And then my agent called me and told me I was going to the Niners.”

And as they say, the rest is history.