For years, at least according to San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey approached every training camp and practice as if he was on the fringes of the roster rather than an established superstar who didn't need to fall into the good graces of the coaching staff.
That made for some pretty excellent motivation, although the (likely) 2025 Comeback Player of the Year recipient probably didn't need more en route to nearly reaching 1,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving yards for the second time in his illustrious career.
That feat had only been accomplished three times before in NFL history anyway.
But, McCaffrey had some newfound motivation when he and his wife, actress and model Olivia Culpo, welcomed a baby daughter into the world last offseason.
Aside from being in the proverbial "no sleep club" that graces new parents, the talented rusher managed to find himself plenty of additional motivation to keep going, thanks to his new bundle of joy.
Christian McCaffrey opens up on 'dad life' and how it's changed him forever
McCaffrey and his brother, Washington Commanders wide receiver Luke McCaffrey, partook in a hilariously fun challenge at Raising Cane's in Colma, just south of San Francisco, where they squared off in a series of head-to-head competitions before meeting with fans and media.
When CMC was asked about being a new dad and what that meant to him, the veteran tailback said watching his wife be a mom fuels him to be better.
"Coming home is the best part of the day," McCaffrey told reporters from the restaurant. "Whether it's a good day or bad day, being able to see her as a mom and see our daughter, see them together. It's just a blessing...
"She does a heck of a job and always makes me feel like I can do my job to the best of my abilities."
If the numbers back up the claim, then McCaffrey's new motivation resulted in a league-high 413 touches for a whopping 2,126 all-purpose yards and 17 touchdowns over the course of the season.
"Obviously, you have a lot more to play for now," McCaffrey continued. "I think, having a girl, it softened me up a little bit. It's been so much fun."