The 2025 season for the Carolina Panthers is shaping up to be one for their history books. They are 6-5 and coming off a historic performance by quarterback Bryce Young, who broke Cam Newton’s single-game passing record. Also, with two games left against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team controls its fate in the NFC South.
One player who is all over the history books for the Panthers is Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey is one of the most accomplished running backs in franchise history for the Panthers, and he faces off against his old team when the Panthers travel to Levi’s Stadium and play the San Francisco 49ers on Monday.
The game will bring a lot of emotions, as both teams fight for playoff spots and McCaffrey reflects on the six years he spent as a Panther.
Franchise Legend
Christian McCaffrey is all over the Panthers’ record books. In 2022, Will Bryan of Panthers.com documented some of McCaffrey’s laundry list of accomplishments:
In 2019, McCaffrey was a two-time First Team All-Pro, one at running back and the other at the flex position.
McCaffrey joined Walter Payton as the only other player to have 50 rushing yards, 50 receiving yards, and 50 passing yards in a game.
In that 2019 All-Pro season, McCaffrey joined Marshall Faulk and Roger Craig as the only players in NFL history with 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 passing yards in a single season. In fact, in 2021, McCaffrey became the fastest player in NFL history to have 3,000 rushing and 3,000 receiving yards.
Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero highlighted McCaffrey and his unique abilities, as Kassidy Hill and Darin Gantt of Panthers.com wrote about in their November 21 article.
“Well, definitely he’s he’s one of the best runners in this league, so whenever he has the ball in his hands and the run game, he’s got great vision, he’s got contact balance, he’s got speed, change of direction, so all, all the qualities that you look for in an elite runner, he’s got those things,” Evero said.
The Panthers will need to be extra prepared for a McCaffrey that could be playing with extra emotions against his former team.
Bittersweet Face-Off
Christian McCaffrey reflected on his time with the Panthers and more during his press availability on Thursday. Charlotte Sports Anchor Kelli Bartik for WCCB-TV provided video of McCaffrey’s answers on her Twitter account.
“Getting traded to San Fran opened my eyes to so much,” McCaffrey said. “It was a massive blessing. What I learned during that whole process about myself was incredible, and I think God has shown me in so many ways to truly trust him, so I’m grateful for that.”
McCaffrey then reflected on the bittersweet nature of his departure from the Panthers.
“It was a huge blessing, but also a bittersweet moment for me at the time. I loved Charlotte, I loved Carolina. It’s where I still have a home, and I loved my teammates, and I was a captain on that team. 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 be so grateful for the opportunity to come to San Fran, and also call this place home.”
McCaffrey is once again on pace to replicate what he did in Carolina with a 1,000-yard rushing and 1,000-yard receiving season. Still, he will have a difficult task ahead of him against a Panthers rushing defense that is ranked sixth in run defense success rate according to ESPN’s Mina Kimes.
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