By Susie Wargin, 103.5 The Fox
Ed McCaffrey started his NFL career in 1991 as a 3rd round draft pick of the New York Giants. Thirteen years later, he would retire with three Super Bowl rings and a reputation for making circus catches while laying out and absorbing huge hits. McCaffrey played his college ball at Stanford in the late ’80s under head coaches Jack Elway and Dennis Green. He was a first team All-American and first team All-Pac 10 selection at wide receiver in his senior season with the Cardinal.
After McCaffrey arrived to the NFL, he spent three years with the Giants, playing in every regular season game. His fourth year in the league was with the San Francisco 49’ers and then-offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan. The 49’ers won Super Bowl XXIX that year and McCaffrey earned his first Super Bowl ring. The following season, in 1995, Shanahan was named the head coach of the Denver Broncos and soon after signed McCaffrey as a free agent. From there No. 87’s career truly blossomed. During his time with the Broncos, “Eddie Mac” became a highlight reel and was a key component on two world-championship teams. In 1997, he caught 45 passes for 590 yards, eight regular season touchdowns and one touchdown during the post-season. He was the Broncos’ leading receiver in Super Bowl XXXIl when the Broncos defeated the Green Bay Packers.
In 1998, McCaffrey made an even bigger impact and had his most decorated season as a pro: he caught 64 passes for 1,053 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. He also earned second team All-Pro and was named to the Pro Bowl. McCaffrey’s jaw dropping moments were elevated in 2000 when Ed and his teammate Rod Smith became the second wide receiver duo on the same team to each catch 100 or more receptions in the same season.
After retirement, he didn’t slow down. He focused on his McCaffrey Family Foundation, alongside his wife Lisa, to assist children whose medical situation has created an academic or financial hardship. For over two decades, he has held a football camp attended by hundreds from multiple states. For 10 years, McCaffrey held the Dare to Play Games in conjunction with the Downs Syndrome Association giving boys and girls a chance to have a true game day experience as football players or cheerleaders. In 2012 he became the color analyst for the Denver Broncos Radio Network. He called games for five years before stepping down to become the head coach at Valor Christian High School in 2017. While at Valor Christian, McCaffrey led the Eagles to a 24-2 record, winning the 5A state title in 2018 and making it to the quarterfinals in 2019. In December of 2019, McCaffrey was named the 16th head coach in University of Northern Colorado football history. He and Lisa have four sons Max, Christian, Dylan and Luke. All four excelled in sports growing up and all four have gone on to play football at higher levels, just like their father.
