San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has been announced as the winner of the 2026 Bart Starr Award for outstanding character, integrity and leadership, both on and off the football field. McCaffrey was selected by his peers for the award, which is one of a select few honors in the league that is voted on by current NFL players.
The award will be presented during the Athletes in Action Super Bowl Breakfast on Saturday, Feb. 7, in San Francisco as part of Super Bowl Weekend. The 39th annual NFL-sanctioned event unites fans, local business leaders in the Bay Area and football legends for a morning of celebration ahead of Super Bowl Sunday.
McCaffrey, who was traded to the 49ers in 2022, has made an impact on the Bay Area community that has extended far beyond the football field. The Christian McCaffrey Foundation serves the city of San Francisco and beyond, with initiatives like 23 and Troops, 22 and You, and The Logan Project. These projects aim to equip U.S. veterans and active-duty military with health resources fit for athletes, provide support for front line healthcare workers, and distribute gaming consoles to hospitals nationwide for young patients.
"I'm humbled and very honored. It's an awesome award, and I don't take it lightly," said McCaffrey. "I feel like the luckiest guy. I'm a part of an unbelievable team with so many great players and great guys that I get to come in to work with every day and do what I love. I appreciate being recognized by my fellow players around the league."
"Christian McCaffrey stood out to his peers as an individual who leads with integrity and honor," said Corwin Anthony, Executive Director of the Super Bowl Breakfast. "His character, being displayed both on the field and in his community, honor and embody the legacy of the late Bart Starr."
Selected eighth overall by the Carolina Panthers in the 2017 NFL Draft, McCaffrey is known as a dual threat for running and receiving the football. He has been named to the NFL Pro Bowl four times, Associated Press All-Pro four times (three-time First Team honoree and one-time Second Team honoree), and was the Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year in 2023.
In 2025, McCaffrey rushed for 1,202 yards and 10 touchdowns while adding 102 receptions for 924 yards and seven touchdowns through the air, finishing the regular season with the second-most yards from scrimmage and the third-most combined rushing and receiving touchdowns in the NFL. Earlier this season, McCaffrey recorded his 16th career game with one-or-more rushing touchdowns and one-or-more receiving touchdowns, passing Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk for the most such games in NFL history.
In the 49ers most recent Super Bowl appearance (LVIII), McCaffrey had a strong performance, with eight receptions for 80 yards, becoming the first player in Super Bowl history to record 75-or-more rushing and 75-or-more receiving yards in the same game. He is also one of three NFL players to record 1,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving yards in a single season, a feat he accomplished in 2019.
McCaffrey joins a long legacy of notable Bart Starr Award winners including:
Cameron Jordan, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Jr., Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson, Demario Davis, Eli Manning, Calais Campbell, Benjamin Watson, Matthew Slater, Thomas Davis, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Jason Witten, London Fletcher, Kurt Warner, Warrick Dunn, LaDainian Tomlinson, John Lynch, Curtis Martin, Troy Vincent, Derrick Brooks, Trent Dilfer, Darren Woodson, Bruce Matthews, Aeneas Williams, Brent Jones, Darrell Green, Jackie Slater, Cris Carter, Warren Moon, Gill Byrd, Reggie White, Mike, Singletary, Anthony Munoz, and Steve Largent.
The Super Bowl Breakfast will be held at the Marriott MarquisSan Francisco from 8 - 10 a.m. (PST) and will feature Super Bowl champion coach Tony Dungy, Bryant Young and other well-known NFL players, coaches and alumni. Niners Hall of Fame tight end and the 1998 Bart Starr Award winner Brent Jones will emcee the event. In addition to the award presentation, other highlights of the morning will include footage from NFL Films and inspirational messages.
The Super Bowl Breakfast is proud to partner with TBC and PG&E as the presenting sponsors of the event.
For more information about the Bart Starr Award and the Super Bowl Breakfast and to purchase tickets, tables, and sponsorships, please visit SuperBowlBreakfast.com.
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