Cam Newton wholeheartedly believes in the prowess of Christian McCaffrey, the standout running back for the 49ers and Cam’s former teammate from his Carolina days. It goes to the extent that the former QB told Shannon Sharpe on Club Shay Shay that there’s a way McCaffrey, who is already the highest-paid athlete at his position, could earn even more. Newton asks that he simply transition to playing as a wide receiver. He expressed confidence about the level to which CMC has conditioned his body, even dubbing him one of those rare people who could do it at the highest level, and get away with it.
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The ex-Panthers man notes that if they just change the position for McCaffrey, the quarterback, who, in this case, is Brock Purdy, can “guarantee that he would do numbers.” And on McCaffrey’s change in salary, Newton points out, “Just his position gives him that, I think he’s making 17 million a year, around that, well, he should be making 25, like a top-tier receiver. That’s just the impact Christian McCaffrey has.”
According to Cam Newton, there are not many athletes in the world who prepare before and after the game like CMC does. He reveals, “People don’t see how he takes care of his body. (He’s) a big Bruce Lee fan. ‘Be as water’. This guy takes care of his body better than I’ve ever seen anybody.” There is a “real routine” that the running back follows without fail.
And his journey has been one of progress. The ‘Christian McCaffrey’ that people saw when he first came is very different from the one playing today. Newton says, “It’s not about size… He realized I had to put on weight to endure that type of beating. But I think Christian McCaffrey is capped by the position that he plays.” Thus, he should try out a whole new position. That his conditioning, game IQ, and speed allow for. Plus, it also takes his contract value up by a lot.
Christian McCaffrey Career Earnings Breakdown
Sportrac estimates that over his 8 seasons in the league, the star running back has earned $64 million in salaries and incentives with his two teams. That gives him around $8 million a year. He has moved franchises which generally result in a big payday, and in McCaffrey’s case, those things came true. However, the position only required the new team to pay a certain premium.
If McCaffrey had been signed up as a receiver, he would’ve been charged a different rate from the 49ers. Compared to a top receiver who has changed teams, McCaffrey definitely left some money out there. For instance, Davante Adams, who has played for 10 seasons now, earned a four-year, $110 million contract.
