Running back Christian McCaffrey is one of the best players in his position. At the San Francisco 49ers, the 26-year-old plays a major role on offense and is properly remunerated at $16 million a year. However, this is not a matter of course and that is why “CMC” is now demanding more appreciation for its running back colleagues in the NFL.
“I definitely think the franchise tag and what the market has done to the running back position has meant that the position is definitely undervalued. And I think if you look at the running backs in the league would ask, they would probably say the same thing,” said the 26-year-old on the “Rich Eisen Show”.
“If you go back in history and look at what the running back position has meant to the game. Running backs have the ball more than anyone. And I was a guy who liked Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders, some of the best that existed. These guys not only played for a long time, they also played well for a long time,” McCaffrey looks back on the past.
He also looks at today’s NFL, where he says players like Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs are of great sporting importance.
“They run with the ball, they catch the ball in the backfield, they cause danger on several levels, they create mismatches and make the opposing defense think and I think that has great value,” the 49er breaks a lance for his colleagues.
Are running backs underpaid?
In fact, the running back position has become less appreciated in recent years.
On the one hand, this is due to the typical mechanisms of the market. The supply of good running backs is greater than the demand. On the other hand, the risk of injury in this position is significantly higher than in other positions.
This is also reflected in the numbers: With his $16 million salary per year, Christian McCaffrey is number one in the money list, but he would not be in the top ten by a long shot for wide receivers. The leader here is Tyreek Hill, who earns almost twice as much as McCaffrey at $30 million.