The football field, I'd definitely say that's my safe place.
Christian McCaffrey
You can never satisfy other people, I learned. End of the day, it's extremely important that you know yourself better than anybody else, and if you can do that, it doesn't matter what anybody thinks about you, good or bad.
It's a constant progression, and as long as you're constantly striving to be better, you're headed in the right direction.
You get fan mail and you see the reaction when you write someone back. It's kind of shocking. You can make someone's day and be a positive influence on the world when you're in a position like that.
Earned success is the key to a positive, happy life.
I am beyond blessed and humbled to be named the Paul Hornung Award winner.
People do the eye test and underestimate me, so I do play with a chip on my shoulder.
I'm just so blessed to be a Carolina Panther. I can't wait to grind every single day for that organization, team, fans and for everybody there. I'm blessed to be a Carolina Panther.
I'm someone who believes in having motivation at all times, win or lose, individual awards.
The secret behind success isn't as much of a secret as people think. It's pretty simple. It's working as hard as you can to accomplish what you want.
To me, speed kills.
Some of my best childhood memories are of watching Terrell Davis with my dad. I used to hang out when I was, like, 4 and 5 years old and play Power Rangers in the locker room with him and Shannon Sharpe and Rod Smith. And I loved Terrell. He was awesome.
Something I really pride myself on is not just being a running back that can catch the ball but if I move out to the slot, I become a receiver.
Sometimes you'll have 30, 40 touches in the game, and you'll feel better than if you had 22. It depends on where you get hit and how you get hit.
Back in the day, a lot of running backs used to be 230 pounds, ground and pound the ball right up the middle. One thing I pride myself is being able to do what those guys do, as well.
The best players try to not slow down when they put the pads on.
I play with a chip on my shoulder always, I feel like people don't always give me credit for my skills and talents and that's just the way it is. I also don't care too much, I don't feel like I'm crazy disrespected. I have a chip on my shoulder at all times.
You can put in all the plays in the world, but if a guy is not executing it's not going to work.
I play for my teammates.
Football is a very instinctual game, and it's very fast-paced.
For me, any time I'm on the football field, that's my comfort zone.
You can always get bigger, faster, stronger. I don't have any choice. I have to.
I would definitely like the ball as much as possible... That's why I train.
Everyone wants to be close to your team. You don't want to have guys that don't feel comfortable in the locker room.
You've got to be able to adapt to your environment.
Every great team has multiple backs. Very few times do you have just one back.
I'm wherever coach puts me.
Pretty surreal experience to see the impact football has had globally.
I used to have a potbelly pig named Terrance. He died of obesity.
My training is very specific to my sport, so it's a lot of fast, explosive movements. It's very pertinent to exactly what I do on the football field, which is fast burst in short spaces.
I think when you're running through a hole and you're hit in certain, different ways, you have to be able to move and change and make people miss.
I go to class every day with the future Facebook and Twitter and Google employees, the future innovators and entrepreneurs who might have the next big thing. Knowing that and seeing their success and work ethic makes you want to be successful. It impresses me every day. It humbles me, too.
I used to get so upset when my parents took away my phone and then I realized it's because they wanted the best for me and my brothers. I have a whole new appreciation for how they raised us.
Going into a game, I know that I'm going to run a lot. I know I'm going to have a lot of volume, and I know that I'm going to get hit a lot, which is great. Sometimes we try to deliver some blows, too, try to break as many tackles as possible. We know it's going to hurt the next day. That's why we love the game.
The league is shifting. It's becoming a smaller league, way more speed-dominant. So you're seeing more backs like me who can run between the tackles, pass-protect, catch and become matchup nightmares. You also have more receivers who are getting jet sweeps, doing different things with the ball in their hands.
The faster I can get, the better as well.
My position is a running back. So, the first part of my position is running. That means I need to run and be fast.
When you read about white athletes these days and white skill possession receivers specifically, one word you'll always find is tough. You'll rarely see explosive, athletic, stuff like that.
You've got to let the game come to you. You can't press.
You can't try to make something crazy happen when nothing is there. You've just got to keep pushing.
The big plays will come.
Sometimes a 1-yard gain on third-and-1 is a big play. People take that for granted.
I got lucky that they throw me the ball a lot and it's my job to make those catches.
I prepare so I can be in the whole game.
The goal every offseason is just to get as fast as you can, stay healthy.
There is not some secret formula, it comes down to completing passes, being efficient on first and second down and making plays when the ball is in your hands.
Yeah, I've got quick thumbs.
I just show up every day.
We're here to win football games, so whatever that means, whatever that takes, that's what we're going to do.
You should want to compete.
