McCaffrey Calls Trade to Niners 'Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me'

The former Panthers running back appears to be happy with his new team.

Christian McCaffrey wanted to be a Carolina Panther. He grew to love the organization, the city, and its fans. He had heard the trade rumors before but never actually believed he would be dealt. Until it happened.

A couple of months ago, McCaffrey opened up about the trade and his initial feelings about it during an interview on Bussin' With The Boys.

"It's a weird deal because there's so many emotions. First emotion is probably anger. Like, man, you guys don't want me anymore. That's really what it is. You can call it what it is. Well, they got a lot for you. It's like, nah, you think you're better off without me. So you get that, so you're pissed off. Then you're excited, but you got two days. I just think there's so many emotions that get flooded at you at once that you're not really able to address because they give you the playbook as soon as you get there and you're like sh*t that's...I gotta get going. I don't even know if I've completely decompressed yet."

Now that McCaffrey has had time to settle in with his new team and reflect back on the move to San Francisco, his feelings about it have changed.

“In hindsight, I firmly believe it’s the best thing that ever happened to me,” McCaffrey said at the annual Dwight Clark Legacy Series event, via Cam Inman of Bay Area News Group.

"I say this with the utmost respect, this is a family,” McCaffrey said. “It’s the first time I felt like, even alumni, just getting to know these guys, it’s special; it’s different, and there’s a reason it’s sustainable and has been for so long. The word I would use now is, just very proud to be a part of this organization.”

To be honest, can you blame him? He's now on a loaded roster -- one that has a chance to be in the mix for the Super Bowl every year if healthy. And for Carolina, it allowed them to recoup some draft picks and make a deal with Chicago to acquire the No. 1 overall pick, Bryce Young.

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