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San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey made NFL history during his second game with the team.
McCaffrey became the first player throw, rush, and receive the football for touchdowns during the Niners' 31-14 victory against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on Sunday (October 30).
"That's awesome," McCaffrey said after the game via ESPN. "Obviously, those things are really cool. I think the biggest thing is coming out with a win and playing a second half like that, too ... But I'm just proud to be a 49er and it felt good to get a win today."
McCaffrey finished Sunday's game with 183 total yards, which included 94 rushing, 55 receiving on eight catches and 34 passing, connecting with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to give San Francisco its first touchdown of the game.
Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters after the game that tight ends coach Brian Fleury texted him a video of McCaffrey -- then a member of the Carolina Panthers -- throwing a 50-yard touchdown pass during a December 17, 2018 in a game against the New Orleans Saints before including the record-setting play in their game plan.
"I think everyone knows how good of a player he is, but I just like how consistent he is and under control in what he does," Shanahan said via ESPN. "He's a very smart player, and he makes a lot of plays and stuff, but it's the consistency of how he plays his game. I feel like he was a great guy to add for us."
McCaffrey found the end zone again on a 9-yard reception from Jimmy Garoppolo in the third quarter and again on a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Garoppolo also connected with All-Pro tight end George Kittle on a 7-yard pass with 6:41 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The 49ers acquired McCaffrey in a trade with the Panthers on October 20 and the former All-Pro running back made his debut for the team on October 23.
McCaffrey was selected by the Panthers at No. 8 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft and found quick success in Carolina, recording more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage during each of his first two seasons, which included rushing for 1,098 rushing yards in 2018 and a career best 1,387 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns in 2019, having also caught a career best 116 passes for 1,005 yards and four additional touchdowns.
But McCaffrey has been limited to a combined 10 games during the 2020 and 2021 seasons due to injuries and was reported to be shopped around as the Panthers struggled to a 1-5 start in 2021.
The move to the 49ers returned McCaffrey to the Bay Area, where he enjoyed a decorated collegiate career at Stanford University.
McCaffrey was a Heisman Trophy runner-up to Derrick Henry in 2015, as well as the Paul Hornung Award winner, a consensus All-American, Associated Press College Football Player of the Year and Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year, having also earned his first of two consecutive first-team All-Pac-12 honors during his sophomore season.
The move also united McCaffrey with Shanahan, whose father, Mike Shanahan, coached Christian’s father, former wide receiver Ed McCaffrey, during their shared tenures with the Denver Broncos.