On any given Sunday this fall, the McCaffrey family group chat has a lot to sort out. Christian McCaffrey plays for the San Francisco 49ers, Luke McCaffrey catches passes for the Washington Commanders, and the oldest brother, Max, coaches running backs for the Los Angeles Chargers. A fourth brother, Dylan, has stayed out of the league but remains part of the family’s football story.
Luke recently joked about it in an August interview with WUSA9, as reported by InStyle. He called the situation “a little crazy” and said the family hopes for three wins among the brothers every week.
Raised on football in Colorado
The four brothers grew up in Colorado and all attended Valor Christian High School. Their father, Ed, is a former Denver Broncos receiver and Super Bowl champion. Their mother, Lisa, played soccer at Stanford. The brothers often credit her for their athleticism. Luke told the Commanders in 2024 that the family’s standard answer about where their athletic ability comes from is “our mom.”
Max: from practice squads to the sideline
Max, born in 1994, played receiver at Duke and signed with the Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2016. According to InStyle, which cites NFL.com, he spent time on the practice squads of the Packers, Saints, Jaguars, and 49ers and appeared in six regular-season games. He moved into coaching in 2020, working with his father at Northern Colorado and later as an offensive assistant with the Miami Dolphins. The Chargers hired him in 2026. InStyle also reports that he and his wife, Kathleen Messier, welcomed a daughter in September 2026.
Dylan: the brother who stayed in college ball
Dylan, born in 1999, was a quarterback who helped Valor Christian reach the state title game in all four of his seasons there. He started at Michigan, sat out 2020, then transferred to Northern Colorado to play for his father. He did not pursue an NFL career and keeps a lower profile than his brothers. InStyle reports that he married Lauren McCaffrey in Colorado in July 2026, with Christian, Max and Luke among those present.
Luke: the youngest in the league
Luke, born in 2001, began at Nebraska, transferred to Rice, and was drafted by Washington in 2024. This is his third NFL season. He also ran a 4.47-second 40-yard dash at the 2024 Combine, narrowly beating the 4.48 Christian ran in 2017, according to NBC Sports Bay Area.
What it means for fans
(Analysis) Having a 49ers star, a Commanders receiver and a Chargers assistant in one family gives the brothers three rooting interests and gives fans a built-in storyline whenever those teams play. Max has also followed his father into coaching, so the family’s influence is now on the field and the sideline.
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