Christian McCaffrey might set an NFL record in his initial game against the Panthers following his departure from the team.

Alex Murray

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Christian McCaffrey could break NFL record in first matchup with Panthers since his Irish exit image

TL;DR

  • Christian McCaffrey faces his former team, the Carolina Panthers, for the first time since joining the San Francisco 49ers.
  • The long wait was due to scheduling quirks and the teams' differing divisional performance.
  • McCaffrey's departure from Carolina was abrupt, but former teammates hold no animosity.
  • He is poised for a record-breaking performance against the Panthers, who struggle against the run.

Due to a peculiar scheduling quirk, Christian McCaffrey has yet to face his former team, the Carolina Panthers, since he moved to his current team, the San Francisco 49ers, approximately three years back.

However, he's scheduled to do so this week. In his initial encounter with the squad that sent him off nearly three years and one month prior, his retribution might prove more satisfying than a California grape.

The long wait occurred for a couple of reasons. One was that the 49ers were generally finishing at the top of their division while the Panthers were doing the opposite. Hence, the scheduling overlords never had the right combination in place to pit them against each other.

The other reason is that the last time these two teams matched up was actually just two weeks before McCaffrey was shipped off to the Bay. He had 104 scrimmage yards and a TD on 21 touches in 37-15 a loss, for those wondering.

The star running back will welcome many old teammates to San Francisco for the Monday Night Football matchup. But the way CMC was forced to leave the Panthers back in 2022 could have easily created a lot of animosity between he and his old Carolina comrades.

“It was late on a Thursday night. One of the things that makes me sad looking back is I couldn’t say bye to any of my teammates. I wish I could’ve just said bye to them. But I was on a flight at 7 a.m. On Friday so it was a quick turnaround.”

Fortunately, his former teammates understood the situation for what it was: a circumstance where CMC had no alternative but to leave discreetly. Instead of tarnishing his reputation before the Monday Night Football reunion, former teammates Jaycee Horn and Chuba Hubbard spoke with him, “a gold jacket guy,” and, “a soldier,” when questioned about No. 22.

Leading up to the CMC vs. Panthers game, there's plenty of pleasant talk and fond recollections. However, after the final whistle sounds at Levi's Stadium on Monday night, the Panthers may find themselves grudgingly acknowledging CMC's performance. He's poised for a significant outing.

Christian McCaffrey is in a strong position to set a rare NFL record when facing the Panthers.

Having traded his black and blue uniform for red and gold attire, Christian McCaffrey might be poised to make NFL history again. He's already achieved several records, such as the most receptions by a running back in a single season, totaling 116.

Last year, Saquon Barkley’s homecoming against the Giants was all the rage. The future Offensive Player of the Year responded with 176 yards against his former team. 

That may seem like a lot for a revenge game—because it is. According to NFL+, 176 rushing yards is the second-most ever for a player going against a former team, trailing only Cedric Benson’s 189 against the Chicago Bears back in 2009.

McCaffrey's personal best for a single game stands at 184 yards, yet there's evidence suggesting he's poised to surpass both his own record and the NFL's all-time mark. 

Carolina has had significant difficulty defending the run lately, surrendering an average of 149 rushing yards per contest in their last four outings, ranking them fifth worst in the NFL. Opponents have also been running the ball more than 31 times per game against the Panthers during this period. 

Given CMC's limited usage of only 25 carries in the past two contests, he's poised for a substantial workload this week. It's highly probable that Kyle Shanahan recognizes the significance of this revenge game. Consequently, the versatile running back is positioned for an outstanding performance during the prime-time matchup. 

And does it get any sweeter than breaking a record against your old team?

Contributing Writer