The San Francisco 49ers sent a message to the rest of the NFL when they were able to acquire one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the league last season.
With the Niners chasing a Super Bowl they were able to pull off a trade to bring in superstar running back Christian McCaffery from the Carolina Panthers.
McCaffery had spent five-and-a-half years with the Panthers, being a fan favourite with the franchise although through a difficult period in the team's cycle - making the playoffs just once in that time.
However, he did not leave on the best of terms - talking up the Niners in a way that suggested that they're a more stable team than in Carolina. McCaffery said at the time the trade was the "best thing that ever happened" to him.
Panthers fans had been unhappy with the remarks, feeling that McCaffery had taken a shot at the former team he spent five years of his career with.
Clarifying those comments now, he said on Good Morning Football: "I was thrown to the fire pretty quickly - It hit me that this was a special team. I was very fortunate to come into a team that built a culture and had taken time to build a culture. To add on top of the roster, in my opinion, some of the best coaches in the NFL and guys who know how to use players like myself and have been doing it for so long.
"I just felt very fortunate to be a part of something that was already so developed, so to say, and, like I said, a culture that was established."
He further added: "I do want to make it clear that was nothing against Carolina when I said that. I have no bad blood, and I love everybody there. I still keep in touch with a lot of my teammates there and a lot of the coaches who I had the privilege of playing for there."
The Niners appeared to be a perfect landing spot for the dynamic player, being paired with offensive guru head coach Kyle Shanahan - who has been regularly credited for putting his players in the best position to succeed. And in just 11 regular season games for the Niners, McCaffery scored 11 touchdowns, while rushing for 746 yards and 464 receiving - hugely elevating their chances to succeed in the playoffs.
While they ultimately came short after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Niners now remain strong favourites once again this season - mostly due to their array of weapons on offense, with McCaffery, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle being an explosive trio. In a weakened NFC division this year, only the Niners, Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks are considered legitimate contenders, with a number of teams likely to struggle with the AFC looking extremely loaded with talent.
