CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY

Your family’s athletic achievements are the stuff of legend. What was it like growing up with that family legacy and what does it mean to leave your own mark?  

Growing up there was a standard set from a young age. We didn’t need any extra motivation to excel in sports growing up. Watching my dad play in the NFL and my older brother play in his leagues, I wanted to be like them so much when I finally got to start youth football. We were always playing something growing up: football, baseball, basketball and track. My parents encouraged me and my brothers to play multiple sports and to do so at 100%. To be in the NFL and play at a high level is the realization of a dream that I’ve had since I was six years old.       

How did that focus on legacy impact your decision to collaborate with Cadillac? 

Collaborating with Cadillac was an easy call for me. It’s a brand that’s built on legacy but is also pushing into the future in a big way with their EVs. That balance really speaks to me. They stand for excellence, performance and innovation, which are all values I try to bring to my game. There’s a lot of synergy between where Cadillac’s headed and where I’m at in my career. Both about honoring the past while creating something new that lasts.

Do you see any parallels between the precision engineering of a high-performance vehicle and how you approach your training and gameplay?

 For me, it’s all about the details and finding an edge. I’m constantly looking for ways to get better. Whether that’s through training, recovery, nutrition or film study. It’s the small things that separate good from great. That’s why I respect Cadillac’s approach. They share that same level of precision and obsession with getting every detail as right as possible. Whether you’re building a car or preparing for Sunday, excellence comes down to outworking your competition and doing the little things at a high level, over and over again.

How do you maintain your center and focus in the face of setbacks on the field?  

Setbacks are a part of the game and part of life. You have to take things one day at a time and trust in yourself and the process. Football consumes the majority of my life so when things don’t go right it can be tough. You have to stay on top of your mindset. You don’t have time to sit and mope when life takes a bad turn. You must look forward to what’s ahead of you, stay hungry, and do everything you can to reset and move ahead.       

Cadillac is a brand inextricably linked with music. How important is your game-day playlist and that ride to the stadium in getting into that right mental space before kickoff? 

Music is a massive part of my pregame routine. I love late-90s and early-2000s rap. But I also really love classical music, and have played the piano for a very long time. The crucial thing is getting into the right mindset and being able to tune everything else out. Listening to my music in the ESCALADE IQ with the AKG* speakers and available Dolby Atmos®* creates my own world away from the chaos. It’s my space to block all the other stuff out and focus on what I need to do on game day.

Fatherhood meets Escalade IQ

I’ve always been driven, but becoming a dad gives everything a new meaning. It puts everything into context and changes how you see the world and what motivates you. You want to be the best example you can be. It’s been a wonderful new stage in life and the ESCALADE IQ has honestly been the perfect fit. I jokingly call it “The Dadmobile,” but it has everything I need from the spacious eTrunk® and back cargo area, the longest range of any EV SUV*, and the massaging seats are a favorite of mine.