Christian McCaffrey brother reprimanded in crazy clipboard saga

Northern Colorado offensive coordinator Max McCaffrey, older brother of Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey, was reprimanded for accidentally hitting an opposing fan with a broken clipboard during a 40-7 loss to Montana State on Saturday.

Max McCaffrey, coaching under his father, Ed, who is the head coach of Northern Colorado, broke his clipboard after his younger brother, quarterback Dylan McCaffrey threw an interception.

In a statement, Northern Colorado said it reviewed statements and video of the incident in conjunction with the Big Sky Conference and Montana State and determined that McCaffrey’s clipboard toss showed a lack of judgment but no malicious intent or anger. According to the school, the fan requested the broken clipboard as a souvenir.

“Max is embarrassed by the incident and is working privately to apologize to the fan hit by the errant toss,” Northern Colorado athletic director Darren Dunn said via ESPN. “After visiting with Max and the entire football staff, I am confident we will have no further engagement with fans of our opponents.”

Max McCaffrey is in his second year on the Northern Colorado coaching staff, alongside his father, after attempting to play in the XFL. McCaffrey played over 50 games at Duke from 2012-2015, garnering 1,341 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns in his collegiate career. McCaffrey bounced around NFL practice squads for the Raiders, Packers twice, Saints, Jaguars and 49ers.

McCaffrey signed with the XFL’s DC Defenders in December 2019, but was released before the start of the regular season due to accepting a job as the wide receivers coach for Northern Colorado in January 2020. McCaffrey was promoted to offensive coordinator in the summer of 2021.

His brother, Dylan, transferred to Northern Colorado in January after four seasons at Michigan. In his Michigan career, McCaffrey appeared in 13 games for the Wolverines, throwing for 242 yards and three touchdowns, adding 166 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

Dylan McCaffrey opted out of the 2020 season and entered the transfer portal in January to join his father and older brother at Northern Colorado.

This season, McCaffrey has thrown for 597 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions, completing 59 percent of his passes.

The McCaffrey brothers’ father, Ed, is in his first season, and second year as head coach of Northern Colorado. It’s his first college head coaching job, after he coached at Valor Christian High School from 2018-2019.

Prior to his coaching days, Ed McCaffrey played wide receiver for 13 seasons in the NFL for the Giants, 49ers and Broncos. McCaffery’s best seasons came in Denver. In nine seasons with the Broncos, McCaffery had 6,200 receiving yards and 46 touchdowns. He won three Super Bowls in his career, made the Pro Bowl in 1998 and was named to the Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary team.