Christian McCaffrey's family is no stranger to NFL success, and the star 49ers running back now has his younger brother Luke in the league with him.
The Washington Commanders selected Luke at No. 100 overall during the 2024 NFL Draft in April, bringing the dynamic wide receiver out of Rice University on board in the third round. Luke is the youngest of four McCaffrey brothers and the third to reach the NFL, all behind their father Ed, who enjoyed a 13-year career playing football professionally.
For Christian and the rest of the McCaffreys, seeing Luke get drafted was an experience like no other.
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"Yeah, that was awesome, man," McCaffrey told reporters in Santa Clara on Tuesday during the first day of mandatory minicamp. "It was emotional. It was so cool -- he's like the little brother, you know. [It] kind of hit me when I saw his name go across the board. Like, damn. Luke's playing in the NFL.
"I was just so proud of him, and I know how hard he's worked. I know the journey he's been on. I know the the ups and the downs that he's gone through, and he's done nothing but persevere through them. So I'm fired up for him, and hopefully he has a lot of success."
While Luke met with the 49ers during the pre-draft process, playing with his older brother in San Francisco ultimately wasn't in the cards. Luke impressed at the NFL Scouting Combine in March, even beating Christian's 40-yard dash time, and certainly did enough to leave a lasting mark on Washington.
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“It’s shaped me in every possible way,” Luke told reporters at the combine of having an athletically successful family. Ed won a Super Bowl with the 49ers in 1995, and Max, the eldest McCaffrey brother, currently is an offensive assistant with the Miami Dolphins and spent three seasons as a wide receiver in the NFL, including time with San Francisco.
“I have a quote that I love: ‘They are the biggest blessing I’ve ever had that I never earned,’ because I didn’t do anything to earn having those role models in my life. I was blessed with it."
While the 49ers and Commanders don't play each other during the 2024 NFL regular season, there could be plenty of chances in the future for Christian and Luke to face each other after the older brother signed a two-year, $38 million contract extension with San Francisco on Tuesday.
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