Ed McCaffrey can’t wait for Super Bowl Sunday.
The former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver says he’s “so happy” for his son Christian — who followed in his dad’s footsteps and is a star running back for the 49ers — to make it to the Super Bowl. “The feeling is incredible. I’m just so happy for him… The fact that he’s in the Super Bowl is a pretty amazing feeling for us, and as a father, I love him. I support him,” McCaffrey, 55, tells PEOPLE. “As any parent will probably tell you, they just want their child to be happy. They want to follow their dreams, love life and be happy.”
Despite his love for football, McCaffrey and his wife Lisa decided to let their four sons choose the sport they wanted to play. “Christian chose to play football and he did it when he was seven years old — and he never looked back,” McCaffrey says of the 27-year-old NFL star. “He fell in love with it, I think the first year he played. And he devoted a good part of his life to playing the game.”
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Looking ahead to Sunday’s game, McCaffrey continues, “He’s been preparing his whole life to be ready to play this game. He knows it’s very difficult. You have one chance to play the game, so there is no guarantee whether you will win or lose. But at least you can determine how you prepare for this game. So they will prepare thoroughly, win, lose or draw.”
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Of course, this Super Bowl appearance is even more special for McCaffrey because Christian plays for the 49ers. “The fact that this is happening with the 49ers — the team I was blessed to play for in 1994 and won the Super Bowl with — is pretty amazing,” he adds. “The fact that he’s playing for Kyle Shanahan, the son of Mike Shanahan, who was my coach when the 49ers won the Super Bowl, is pretty cool.”
While McCaffrey attributes much of his son’s success to his talents on the field — “quickness and quickness, his ability to catch the ball, his ability to change direction, his incredible vision” — he says it’s really Christian’s passion that got him this far. “When you combine that physical and mental skill set with his emotion and love for the game, it allows you to do great things.”
“I like how determined and disciplined he is,” adds McCaffrey, who also enjoys playing chess with his son and listening to him play the piano. “He’s all in and has his routine in the off-season. It’s pretty serious 12 months out of the year. That’s what he wants to do, and I’m a proud parent.”
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Christian McCaffrey with his parents, Ed and Lisa, and his brothers Luke, Max and Dylan.
Christian McCaffrey’s Instagram
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As Christian prepares for Sunday’s game, McCaffrey says he and his family are focused on “holding down business” until they head to Las Vegas. “I was very nervous,” he admits, “and then I had to realize that nothing I do or say will have any effect on this game. Whatever happens, happens, and I just need to live for today, live for the moment and be there no matter what happens, love them and support them.”
“As parents, you do the best you can,” he adds. “You hope that you’re making good decisions and that you’re really there to love and support and mentor and then guide as much as you can.” When asked what advice he would give Christian before he takes the field at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday, McCaffrey says, “My giving Christian football advice ended a long time ago. So I’d just say, ‘I love you. Go get it.’ ”
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Source: HIS Education