Christian McCaffrey wins OPOY award, proving 49ers 'gamble' right

After receiving the award, McCaffrey thanked the 49ers for taking a "gamble" on him in last year's trade with the Carolina Panthers that brought him to San Francisco. 

"I feel so fortunate to be a part of the best organization on the planet, so thank you guys so much for doing that, and for believing in me," McCaffrey said via the NFL. 

However, 49ers CEO and owner Jed York recently revealed that he and general manager John Lynch had to convince head coach Kyle Shanahan to pull the trigger on the deal. So, McCaffrey is keenly aware of how much the team has invested in him. 

If Shanahan had any reservations after the fact, they must be all-but-eliminated by now. Through 32 career games with the 49ers, McCaffrey has rushed for 2,631 yards and 26 touchdowns on the ground, adding 1,161 receiving yards and 12 more scores through the air. Perhaps most importantly, the star back has helped the team get to within a win of bringing home the Lombardi Trophy.

McCaffrey won the award going away, earning 39-of-50 first-place votes. Miami Dolphins wideout Tyreek Hill finished second with seven first-place votes while Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson earned three votes and Dallas Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb received one vote for Offensive Player of the Year.