San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is widely regarded as one of the hardest-working players in the NFL. He's determined to silence any doubts about his abilities and prove critics wrong.
After a challenging 2024 season, in which injuries limited McCaffrey to just four games, many wondered if his most productive years were behind him. He used that doubt as motivation. In 2025, McCaffrey returned stronger than ever, recording 2,126 scrimmage yards and 17 total touchdowns while playing all 17 games—a statement season that reaffirmed his elite status.
McCaffrey doesn't shy away from admitting that he plays with a chip on his shoulder. On the Rich Eisen Show, he was asked what motivates him the most.
"I want a Super Bowl," McCaffrey said. "I think everybody on our team wants to win the Super Bowl. And so, when you get close, and you don't get there, that's a chip that—you'll die with that chip."
But the Super Bowl isn't his only source of motivation. McCaffrey thrives on challenges and criticism, always finding ways to push himself further.
"I find chips. If there isn't a chip, I'll look online and find one," he joked. "I'll try to find something. Try to find something. I just love competing. I love when someone tells me I can't do something, or you're not good enough, or this or that. I've been hearing it my whole life, and so, sometimes, it actually gets old."
Growing up with brothers instilled McCaffrey with a lifelong competitive drive.
"But I think there's the chip on the shoulder that I'll always have, I think, probably, for the rest of my life," McCaffrey shared. "I think it's in my DNA. It's been with me since I was a kid. Just growing up with three brothers, that's probably why. You're always competing, and you're always losing. When you have an older brother, you're getting your ass kicked all the time.
"So, you learn how to compete, you learn how to get better. You're constantly obsessed with how you can fix your mistakes so that you can go out there and win."
As McCaffrey enters his 10th NFL season, he remains committed to using his talent and drive to prove doubters wrong and continue performing at the highest level.