Christian McCaffrey Says 49ers Didn't Have A 'Negative' Season Despite Heartbreaking Playoff Exit

San Francisco 49ers standout Christian McCaffrey isn't crying over spilled milk. Instead, the elite athlete is looking back on the current NFL season with pride while reflecting on his team's shortcomings.

During a new interview, Christian McCaffrey also discussed what life has been like for him as a new father. For those unfamiliar, the Stanford alum and his wife, Olivia Culpo, welcomed a baby girl in the summer of 2025.

Speaking with TMZ, McCaffrey was all smiles when discussing his team's disappointing end to their season, losing to the Seattle Seahawks just one round shy of the 2026 Super Bowl. "There's only one team happy at the end of the year," McCaffrey said before sharing a different outlook. "Obviously, we wanted it to be us ... but I look back on this season and feel really grateful."

San Francisco went 12-5 this season, losing 41-6 to Seattle when it mattered most. Despite that, McCaffrey said he and the rest of his teammates didn't have "a negative year." He added, "It's not one I'll look back on and be resentful of. I felt grateful to go to battle with those guys."

During a previous interview with The Blast, McCaffrey opened up about playing in the NFL alongside his brother, Luke, during a Raising Cane's Challenge event. According to the 29-year-old, making it to the NFL was always a goal of his, but doing so alongside his sibling makes his reality that much sweeter.

"We look back on our childhood all the time. Everything we did, we did together," he said. "I just wanted to make it to the NFL, and now I have a brother playing at the same time, being able to train with him and do all those things in the offseason together and kind of talk the same talk and be in the same boat, it's such a blessing."

Elsewhere in his interview with The Blast, McCaffrey also opened up about his competitive dynamic with his brother, revealing that they always battled against one another while growing up.

"That's all we ever did was compete," he said. "If there was snow outside, it was snow football. If not, it was indoor basketball, whatever it was, we were competing."

But it wasn't just about competing with his younger brother. For McCaffrey, every challenge gave him the chance to learn more about himself.

"Every time you compete, you probably learn a little bit about yourself and learn a little bit about each other. A lot of people don't have that at this stage, and we do. That piece in your life is so special," he said.

Luke chimed in, adding, "We grew up kind of pretending to do this. Playing in the NFL, going against each other. It's cool when you get here and realize you never got to stop doing that, you kind of kept it alive."

Later, during his chat with TMZ, McCaffrey briefly spoke about his wife, Culpo, and how she's been as a new mother to their daughter, Colette Annalise McCaffrey.

"Seeing how good she is at it, I feel like the luckiest guy," he said. "It's been such a blessing, man. You come home, see your little girl smile ... and nothing else really matters."

McCaffrey echoed a similar sentiment during a previous interview, according to The Blast, sharing that his "family is one of the reasons I play." He went further, explaining that seeing his daughter and wife before a big game gives him the energy he needs to be his best.

"It means everything to me to have my family there," he added. "I got to watch my dad play when I was a kid. I know my daughter won't remember it, but just knowing she was there and able to be present when I played means a lot to me."

While being a father has likely made McCaffrey a better person all around, the superstar athlete shared that parenthood had a different effect on the 5'11", bulky running back.

"Having a girl softened me up a little bit," he said.