Kyle Shanahan thinks Christian McCaffrey may have had a different meaning in his mind the day he said “yes” to his now-wife, Olivia Culpo.
The 49ers head coach referenced the couple’s dreamy June wedding when discussing the 28-year-old star running back’s passion for the sport, with a calf strain limiting him for much of training camp.
“When you get injured, you can’t play with an injury. But you’re so careful with all of your practices, all of your walk-throughs, everything you do.” Shanahan told reporters:“When he’s walking down the aisle to get married, he’s probably thinking about his feet and how to walk – no disrespect to Olivia, but he’s obsessed with it. So even if he gets injured and can’t do that, at least he’s put in the effort beforehand.
“So that ability bounces back quickly. He understands the game, especially what it takes to play at his level.”
Shanahan, who led the 49ers to the Super Bowl in February but lost 22-25 in overtime to the Chiefs, also attended McCaffrey’s wedding in Rhode Island earlier this summer.
The reigning Offensive Player of the Year married Culpo, a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit alum, at Watch Hill Chapel in Westerly, followed by a celebration at the luxurious Ocean House Resort.
Tight end George Kittle and fullback Kyle Juszczyk were also among the 49ers in attendance.
According to Culpo, McCaffrey made a minor blunder in the chapel when “within 30 seconds of the ceremony, he shouted ‘Yes!'”
“The priest told my husband that he wasn’t there yet, and family and friends laughed at his enthusiasm. There’s nothing a bride would be happier if her husband couldn’t wait a second to get married,” said Culpo, 32. told Vogue magazine.
The two began dating in 2019 and announced their engagement in 2023.
McCaffrey, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, is in his second full season with San Francisco.
He spent the first 5 1/2 years of his NFL career with the Panthers before joining the 49ers in 2022.
The 49ers will close out the preseason on Friday against the Raiders before opening the season against the Jets on “Monday Night Football” on Sept. 9.
