'What are they feeding that kid?': Panthers star Christian McCaffrey - who was once called 'too small' for the NFL - stuns social media with his swollen biceps in training pic
- Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey floored social media on Tuesday when the team released a sleeveless picture off the muscular 22-year-old
- The Twitter post simply read, '22 coming for it all,' in reference to McCaffrey's jersey number. However, it was his bulging biceps that got the biggest reaction
- One Twitter user posted a picture of the He-Man action figure from the 1980s while another posted a picture of the Marvel character, Juggernaut
- McCaffrey was small by running back standards when he was drafted in 2017
- Furthermore, he managed only 10 bench press reps of 225 pounds at the NFL Draft combine. For comparison, one running back had 34 reps in 2019
- McCaffrey's father played in the NFL, his older brother is on the 49ers, his younger brothers play in college, and his grandfather was an Olympic sprinter
Once considered 'too small' for the rigors of the NFL, Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey floored social media users on Tuesday when the team released a sleeveless workout picture of the muscular 22-year-old.
The Twitter post simply read, '22 coming for it all,' in reference to McCaffrey's jersey number. However, it was the bulging biceps, and not the text of the message, that got the biggest reaction.
One twitter user posted a picture of the He-Man action figure from the 1980s while another posted a picture of the Marvel character, Juggernaut.
'Remember when he was 'too small' to play in the NFL?' one person tweeted.
'Geezus [sic]. What are they feeding that kid?' another asked.
Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey floored social media users on Tuesday when the team released a sleeveless picture of the muscular 22-year-old
The son of muscular former Denver Broncos wide receiver Ed McCaffrey, Christian was small by NFL running back standards when he came out of Stanford in 2017.
Share this article
Although he was taken by the Panthers with the seventh-overall pick, he stood just 5foot11 and 201 pounds. And while many small backs have had success in the NFL, such as 5foot6 Darren Sproles, McCaffrey managed only 10 bench press reps of 225 pounds at the NFL Draft combine.
That would be impressive for any ordinary citizen, but NFL running backs absorb tremendous punishment on their arms and torso, and the players tend to protect themselves by developing their upper bodies.
For comparison, at the 2019 NFL Draft combine, Kansas State's Alex Barnes had the most 225-pound bench press reps of any running back with 34.
Even the diminutive Sproles had 23 reps before he was drafted in 2005.
Christian McCaffrey was obviously a lot smaller when he starred at Valor Christian High School in Colorado back in 2010 (left). Although he weighed close to his current listed weight of 205 pounds when he left Stanford in 2017 (right), McCaffrey is significantly bigger now after two NFL seasons
Christian McCaffrey has continued to build muscle over his two NFL seasons
'From a critical standpoint, scouts will point to his size as a concern,' former NFL player Bucky Brooks wrote for NFL.com in 2017. 'Although he is listed at 6-foot, 205 pounds, I wonder if his frame can withstand the punishment most [first-teamers] absorb as feature backs.
In this picture from 2002, Broncos wide receiver Ed McCaffrey is greeted by sons Christian (right) and Max (left)
Judging by the photograph the Panthers tweeted on Tuesday, as well as McCaffrey's breakout 2018 season, the Colorado native's body is catching up with his peers'.
The fact that he comes from an athletic family didn't hurt.
In addition to his All-Pro father, McCaffrey's mother Lisa played soccer at Stanford, his older brother is on the San Francisco 49ers, his two younger brothers currently play college football, his uncle Bill was a college basketball player at Duke and Vanderbilt, and his maternal grandfather was an Olympic track star before becoming an ophthalmologist and pioneering intraocular lens transplants.
After a solid rookie season with 1,086 total yards from scrimmage, McCaffrey broke out in 2018, gaining 1,098 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground and another 867 yards and six scores as a receiver.
He finished the season as a second-team All-Pro selection.
