McCaffrey Excited About the Future in Carolina: "This is Where I Want to Play"
This offseason was a bit unconventional for the Carolina Panthers to say the least, but moving forward, the vision for rebuilding a winning culture seems clear - build around Christian McCaffrey.
In 2019, McCaffrey became just the third player in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards and total 1,000 yards receiving in the same season, joining Marshall Faulk and Roger Craig. He has quickly emerged as one of the most dynamic playmakers in the game and for a team that is in the midst of a rebuild, they had to retain their best player. The Panthers did so by agreeing to terms with McCaffrey on a four-year, $64 million contract extension in April.
During Thursday's Zoom press conference, McCaffrey discussed getting the new deal done and if Matt Rhule's long-term contract played a big factor in his decision to remain a big part of the Panthers' future.
"I don't know if it had an impact. I think when you're negotiating contracts, it's pretty individual. Whether or not Mr. Tepper, Marty [Hurney], and coach Rhule had that as a vision I'm not 100% sure, but I do know I was really excited to get that deal done because this is where I want to play."
Despite not being favored in many games this upcoming season, there is hope that the Panthers will be not only competitive, but hang in with the rest of the teams in the division with their high-flying offensive attack.
"I think it's going to be a lot of fun," McCaffrey said. "We have so many weapons on offense. For us, it's just about execution. How we execute, how we practice, how we go about communicating and I think if we get that down it can be really exciting. With all the weapons that we have, we want to play fast. We want to play physical, we want to be efficient."
Many folks may question building a franchise around a running back, but Christian McCaffrey is different. He can make so many plays in so many different ways that it doesn't matter what position he is labeled as - he's just that valuable. He also told reporters how excited he is to be able to work with the new coaching staff and his comfortability with the new scheme that is being implemented.
"I have a lot of trust in our coaches. They've had a history of success and they're going to put the best players in the position to succeed. I'm ready to line up anywhere, run any route, and just continuing to expand my knowledge of the offense, the knowledge of the receiver position, the running back position, and the blocking schemes - it allows me to feel comfortable wherever they need to put me."
What do you think about Christian McCaffrey as the Panthers' centerpiece of the future? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below and discuss!
You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top righthand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook & Twitter:
Facebook - @PanthersOnSI
Twitter - @SI_Panthers and Schuyler Callihan at @Callihan_.
