"I have new found respect for women": Christian McCaffrey reveals how "gnarly" pregnancy process with wife Olivia Culpo changed him

Christian McCaffrey has said that he found newfound respect for women after seeing his wife, Olivia Culpo, go through the pregnancy process. The NFL couple welcomed a daughter, Colette Annalise McCaffrey, in July. The former Miss Universe gave birth to the child via C-section.

On Friday, Kittle Things shared a short clip from their last month's podcast episode with McCaffrey on Instagram, in which the San Francisco 49ers running back opened up about his wife and his reaction to becoming a dad. He called the experience of watching his wife go through the surgery "gnarly."

"That was gnarly," McCaffrey said. "I have such a newfound respect for women and my wife for what they go through during that process. And I remember thinking to myself, like, 'I'm here, I gotta dial in, I gotta look at it, I gotta see and understand what they're going through.' And as somebody who's had surgeries, like, it's an intense deal."

McCaffrey added:

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"She was amazing throughout the whole process. It's crazy to think that you go through something that traumatic, right into taking care of another human, having to provide for another human in every single way. Like, you don't get time to heal yourself from all that stuff, so definitely newfound respect."

Christian McCaffrey and Olivia Culpo welcomed their baby during the offseason. However, soon after that, McCaffrey joined the training camp before the preseason games in August. He is balancing life as a dad to a three-month-old while playing for the 49ers.

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Christian McCaffrey reveals how wife Olivia Culpo helps him balance fatherhood and NFL career

Christian McCaffrey is playing his first season after becoming a father, and his packed schedule keeps him away from home. However, his wife, Olivia Culpo, makes sure to be with him and travels for his games.

In August, during an interview with the NFL Network, McCaffrey opened up about parenthood. He said that at times he feels guilty for being busy with his games while his wife has to care for the baby alone. He expressed gratitude to his wife for supporting him and helping him with his career.

“I think you just change some of the stuff that you do when you’re not training,” he said (via E! News). "My wife and our families do such a great job in helping out when needed and allowing me to still train and keep football first.”

Culpo took their daughter to cheer for McCaffrey in the game against the Arizona Cardinals. The little girl caught attention in her custom outfit. She wore a T-shirt with her dad’s name and jersey number printed on it.

The 49ers have won four matchups this season, and in the Week 6 matchup on Sunday, they will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Edited by Ribin Peter