While hard work pays off, genetics oftentimes do take a part in creating superstar athletes. There are a number of great sports families, especially in the NFL. One of the best right now is the McCaffrey family. Christian McCaffrey is the current superstar, and the San Francisco 49ers running back is looking to win his first championship ring in Super Bowl LVIII. He was far from the first McCaffrey to experience the Super Bowl, though, and 49ers fans are hoping his dad taught him a thing or two about the league's championship game. Ed McCaffrey, Christian's father, was a legendary receiver in the '90s and a three-time champion during that time. With Christian playing in his first Super Bowl, we decided to go into detail about his dad and his career.

Ed McCaffrey's football career

Ed had a standout career as a receiver at Stanford, and it allowed him to be drafted by the New York Giants in the third round of the 1991 draft. McCaffrey was taken with the 83rd overall pick, and with a big frame at 6-foot 5-inches and the ability to catch jump balls, he was expected to contribute from day one.

McCaffrey didn't come out of the gates hot, though. He was buried down the depth chart in New York and only had 16 catches as a rookie. Still, he showed flashes of promise. McCaffrey's production saw a massive increase in year two. He hauled in 49 catches for 610 yards, and he even started the first three games of his career. The most promising part about McCaffrey's game was his ability to thrive in the red zone. Thanks to his frame and reliable hands, McCaffrey caught five touchdown passes in year two. McCaffrey regressed a little in year three, though, and with only one start and 27 catches, he was clearly no longer a part of the Giants' plans.

He was cut from the Giants in 1994, but he earned another job in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers were a dynasty with Joe Montana in the '80s, but Steve Young was the man under center now. The team still had Jerry Rice, though, and the best non-quarterback of all time was still at the top of his game. Playing alongside Rice opened things up for McCaffrey, as the defense's attention was firmly on the former Super Bowl MVP. Still, McCaffrey didn't put up big numbers with his new team, as he only had 11 catches.

Catching the football wasn't the only thing McCaffrey was good at, though. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest blocking receivers ever, and that earned him chances on the field. He helped San Francisco win Super Bowl XXIX, but his career was only getting started.

The next season, McCaffrey joined the Denver Broncos, and his career blossomed once he started catching passes from John Elway. McCaffrey became a full-time starter in Denver and served as the number two receiver behind Rod Smith. He went to the Pro Bowl and was a Second-Team All-Pro in 1998. He also helped the team win Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII, which were the first two Super Bowl victories in franchise history.

The receiver was known for his toughness. Even if he got hit hard, he always seemed to come down with a clean catch. His toughness was on display in the 2001 season when he fractured his leg on Monday Night Football. He bounced back the following season, but injuries finally caught up to him in 2003, which forced the Broncos legend to retire. McCaffrey finished his career with 565 catches for 7,422 yards and 55 touchdowns. He is considered by many to be the best Bronco who is not in the Broncos Ring of Fame.

Ed McCaffrey's relationship with Christian

Christian McCaffrey playing football for San Francisco 49ers and Ed McCaffrey playing football for Denver Broncos

McCaffrey's football career didn't end when he retired. He was the head coach at Valor Christian High School in 2018, which is the high school his son Christian played at and the football powerhouse in Colorado. McCaffrey took the jump to college ball in 2019, where he served as Northern Colorado's head coach until 2022.

Coaching and football knowledge are clearly strengths of the former Broncos player. That is evident in the way he raised his children. In addition to Christian, his other sons, Max, Dylan, and Luke, all had successful football careers. Max – the eldest son – played college ball at Duke and spent time on a number of NFL rosters, most notably his dad's old team, the 49ers. Max even became an assistant for his dad at Northern Colorado.

Dylan was one of the top recruits in the country and played at Michigan before transferring to Northern Colorado to play under his dad. Luke has played at Nebraska and Louisville, but he is currently playing receiver for Rice.

With Christian's popularity only rising as the running back has made a case for himself as the best running back in the NFL, the 49ers star has told some stories about his dad and how he raised his kids. This included grounding his boys when they were young if they were tackled by their jersey and even giving Christian IVs on game days in high school. His kid's success was clearly important to Ed, and the effort he put in as a father clearly paid off.

It is no secret that Super Bowl LVIII tickets are expensive, and it was big news when it was reported that prices for a suite were too expensive for Christian's mother and girlfriend to afford. Christian stepped in, though, and has gotten tickets for his family to sit together and watch him play. So it is safe to assume we will see Ed once again at the Super Bowl.