The San Francisco 49ers probably don't win their Monday Night Football matchup over the Carolina Panthers if running back Christian McCaffrey didn't perform the way he did.
But, he did perform as many have come to expect this season. And the Niners won 20-9 in prime time despite quarterback Brock Purdy's three interceptions tossed.
Of course, as was pointed out several times throughout the affair, McCaffrey was going up against his old squad, the one that used a first-round pick on him back in the 2017 NFL Draft out of Stanford.
McCaffrey spent the better part of six years in Carolina, cementing himself as an offensive powerhouse despite two injury-plagued seasons before the blockbuster 2022 trade that sent him to San Francisco.
Monday was the first time CMC squared off against his former employer.
So, naturally, one might figure McCaffrey would be a little extra motivated to perform well, right? After all, 31 touches and 142 all-purpose yards later, it sure seemed as if this was the case, at least according to the box score.
Well, not exactly.
Christian McCaffrey didn't feel extra motivated in 1st game against Panthers
McCaffrey notched one of two 49ers touchdowns on the night, yet there weren't any noticeable on-field gestures toward Carolina that suggested a beef or any grudge. And, in the lead-up to the game, it appears as if the dual-threat tailback treated the preparation as if it was for any other opponent.
"When it comes to playing in the league, you have to approach each week as similarly as possible," McCaffrey explained after the game when asked about extra motivation facing Carolina. "Stay in your routine. You can't get too far outside of what's normal for you. So I tried to do that, and obviously when you see familiar faces, it's always good to see them before the game and after the game.
"That's a completely new team than when I was there, so it's really just business once the ball is snapped."
McCaffrey's intensity during even the most simple of football exercises has a reputation, and even head coach Kyle Shanahan has pointed out how the veteran rusher treats training camp as if he's on the verge of getting cut.
So, when it came to facing Carolina, McCaffrey didn't need any extra motivation, according to the head coach.
"I've never felt anything from Christian any week about being the most fired up you can possibly be week-in and week-out," Shanahan said when asked if Monday's game had a bigger meaning for McCaffrey. "So, I don't feel much of a change. But, anytime you play the team that drafted you, a team you were with a while, I'm sure it was a little extra special for him."
If it was, McCaffrey certainly downplayed it as if it was just another contest against anyone else.