49ers’ Christian McCaffrey on cover of Madden NFL 25 | National

McCaffrey is the first member of the 49ers to don the cover of the series.

He also becomes the first running back to receive the honor since Adrian Peterson and Barry Sanders graced separate covers of Madden NFL 25 in 2013. That video game was named as such to honor the series’ 25th anniversary.

“It’s really humbling,” McCaffrey told ESPN. “I feel really grateful because obviously stuff like this is a testament to my teammates, my coaches, people who have helped me be in the position to have success, and so I feel really grateful for that.

“This is such a cool milestone for me, and to be on the cover, I think of those people who have helped me along the way, and obviously being the first 49ers player is really humbling when you think about how many greats have played for this organization. Definitely feel very fortunate.”

McCaffrey, 28, signed a two-year, $38 million contract extension last Tuesday. The deal included $24 million in guarantees for the 2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, who led the league with 1,459 rushing yards last season.

With an average annual value of $19 million per season, McCaffrey raised his own bar for NFL running backs. His previous deal averaged $16 million per year.

McCaffrey also led the NFL with 2,023 yards from scrimmage, and in 16 starts he shared the league lead with 21 rushing/receiving touchdowns, along with Miami’s Raheem Mostert.

A three-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time first-team All-Pro, McCaffrey has rushed for 6,185 yards and 52 touchdowns. He also has 509 receptions for 4,320 yards and 29 scores in 91 games (84 starts) with the Carolina Panthers (2017-22) and 49ers (2022-23).

McCaffrey was the eighth overall pick in 2017 by Carolina, who traded him to San Francisco on Oct. 20, 2022, for a package of draft picks.