The departure hits different when you’re leaving behind your newborn daughter for the first time. Christian McCaffrey faces that reality today as he reports to San Francisco 49ers training camp, marking a new chapter professionally and personally for the star running back.
The 49ers star and the rest of the team’s veterans are set to report to training camp on Tuesday. His wife shared a heartfelt message as he departs from her and their newborn daughter.
What Message Did Olivia Culpo Share for McCaffrey’s Training Camp Departure?
McCaffrey will look to have a bounce-back season after injuries limited him to just four games in 2024. While the 49ers will hold training camp at the SAP Performance Facility in Santa Clara, California, he will be apart from his family for the first time since the birth of his first child.
Culpo took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message to her husband as he prepares for his ninth season in the NFL, stating: “Best daddy in the world goes to camp today. Everyone go wish him luck @christianmccaffrey We’re going to miss him so much 😭”
McCaffrey has widely been considered one of the best running backs in the league since the Carolina Panthers selected him eighth overall in the 2017 NFL Draft.
The dynamic back earned All-Pro honors twice before being traded to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a second, third, and fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft midway through the 2022 season.
His strong play has continued in his new home. He has since garnered a third All-Pro selection and was named 2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year after taking home the rushing crown.
Off the field, McCaffrey has been in a relationship with former Miss Universe Olivia Culpo since 2019. The couple married in June 2024 and welcomed their first child, Colette Annalise McCaffrey, earlier this month.
How Can McCaffrey Bounce Back From His Injury-Plagued 2024 Season?
McCaffrey had the worst season of his NFL career in 2024, finishing with just 202 rushing yards on 50 carries, adding 146 receiving yards on 15 receptions. It marked the first time in his eight-year career that he failed to find the end zone.
Injuries have been the most significant setback of the superstar running back’s career as he has missed 37 out of a possible 132 career games.
San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey says he is the healthiest he has been in several seasons. pic.twitter.com/kUkyy6MXAf
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) July 13, 2025
However, NFL Rumors did share that he has revealed he is entering the 2025 season feeling the healthiest he has been in quite some time, tweeting: “San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey says he is the healthiest he has been in several seasons.”
The news is certainly a positive for the 49ers’ postseason hopes after they finished just 6-11 in 2024. McCaffrey appeared in 16 games in 2023 and played a key role in San Francisco reaching the Super Bowl.
He ran for a league-leading 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns on 272 carries, adding 564 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 67 receptions. He led the league in touches, yards from scrimmage, and total touchdowns.
