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Christian McCaffrey has showcased tons of potential at the NFL level. Sadly for the Carolina Panthers, the star running back they drafted eighth overall has played just 10 games in the last two seasons due to injuries. Now, he is looking to Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk to help him stay healthy.
According to David Newton of ESPN, Faulk’s surprising outlook on his physical build helped him a lot. J.R. Niklos, a former fullback who played with Faulk and is now an owner of a sports performance company, told Newton that Faulk’s normal-guy physique kept him healthy. The Panthers’ Pro Bowler said Faulk gave him “great advice” on how to stay healthy.
“Marshall used to talk all the time about how you’re risking being deficient in your nutrients [when you bulk up], and how when you’re deficient in your nutrients, that’s when you’re susceptible to injury,” said Niklos, now the owner of Acceleration Sports Performance in the Chicago area. “So he purposely put on a couple of layers of fat on his body, not only so he wasn’t deficient in his nutrients but also so he would have some padding when he got hit.”
McCaffrey is now looking to reshape his physique, even going against his previously held knowledge, to get himself in better playing shape. The Panthers need him mightily next season with their quarterback situation still looking bleak.
Over the years, McCaffrey has dealt with injuries to the quad, shoulder and hamstring on his right side and both ankles. Getting his career back on track is huge for the Panthers and for him, who was arguably the best and most versatile running back in football when healthy.