49ers' Christian McCaffrey Joins 'While On Earth' Shoes, Apparel Brand After Nike Exit

Christian McCaffrey is already one of the NFL's best running backs when he is on the field, and the San Francisco 49ers star has a new venture off it.

As ESPN's Adam Schefter relayed Monday, McCaffrey joined footwear and apparel brand 'While on Earth' as a cofounder and investor after leaving Nike:

"I fell in love with what Todd and the team are building," McCaffrey said, per Jean E. Palmieri of Yahoo. "I am at a point in my career where I wanted to build something from the ground up and to be part of something bigger than myself. This isn't just about putting my name on something. I wanted to share a vision with like-minded people that is represented through footwear and apparel. This is the perfect fit, not just because I resonate with the actual products, but because of the people and the name itself. I've already been very hands-on with product direction specifically, and I'm very excited about the opportunity we have in front of us."

The company's website said it was founded by Todd Meleney, who is a "fitness industry veteran," along with athletes McCaffrey, Brooke Wells (CrossFit) and Mat Fraser (CrossFit).

"Time is our most valuable currency," the website says. "How we use it shapes where we go, what we do, and who we become—while on earth."

Monday was a busy promotional day for McCaffrey.

The NFL and Abercrombie & Fitch announced an official fashion partnership, and the 49ers running back was featured alongside CeeDee Lamb, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Tee Higgins in the reveal:

McCaffrey has created this platform for himself because of his dominance as a running back, and he is just one season removed from being the Offensive Player of the Year in 2023. He led the league with 1,459 rushing yards to go along with 564 receiving yards and 21 total touchdowns.

His yards from scrimmage (2,023) and touchdown totals were also best in the NFL.

However, injuries limited him to just four games last season, which was one reason the 49ers struggled with consistency on the way to a 6-11 record and last-place finish in the NFC West. Having him back and available will make them far more dangerous as a true contender in 2025 as they attempt to return to the Super Bowl for the third time in six years.

Durability was a concern earlier in McCaffrey's career when he played three games in 2020 and seven games in 2021, but he played 17 games in 2022 and 16 games in 2023. 

If he is healthy in 2025, he will surely add more accolades to a resume that includes the Offensive Player of the Year, three Pro Bowl selections, two First-Team All-Pro nods and four seasons with more than 1,000 rushing yards.

And doing so would likely create even more opportunities off the field after he joined a new company Monday.