San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey knows a thing or two about what makes a good training shoe.
"My life is training. My life's on my feet. My life is taking care of my body," McCaffrey said in an interview with Boardroom. "I need the tires on a Formula 1 car to be the shoes in my training."
Between preparing for his 10th NFL season, navigating life as a new father, and growing his role in the entrepreneurial world, the 49ers running back has found plenty of ways to stay busy. His latest project brings a few of those worlds together.
McCaffrey and performance brand "while on earth" officially launched 'The CMC' on Monday, his first signature training shoe and the brand's first signature athlete sneaker. The shoe is available in men's and women's in four color ways: White/White, Dune/Shore, Wheat/Midnight, and Wheat/Syrah.
"I started at while on earth a year ago," McCaffrey said. "We had a mission just to formulate the best possible quality products."
McCaffrey joined while on earth as a co-founder in 2025, and for him, putting his name on a shoe meant having a hand in creating it too.
"It's not just about putting your name on something," McCaffrey told Forbes. "We built this product from the ground up and we've nailed it."
McCaffrey spent countless hours testing 'The CMC' and worked with the brand's team on everything from the feel and function of the shoe to its colors and design.
The finished design emphasizes stability and support while being made for the explosive movements that are a staple of McCaffrey's workouts. A fitting combination for a player whose offseason workouts included just about everything one could think of.
"I've done every kind of training and different method of this and that, but you have to move," McCaffrey told Boardroom. "You have to continue to do it. You can't ever get complacent."
When it came time to test the shoe, McCaffrey brought in the reinforcements: his family.
Rather than telling his family he was creating a shoe, McCaffrey simply sent them pairs and asked for their honest feedback. He wanted to hear from his father, Ed, who spent 13 seasons in the NFL; his brother, Luke, who is currently in the league; his wife, Olivia; and even family and friends who don't play sports professionally.
"I wanted to hear as many opinions as possible," McCaffrey said. "And I think that's how you grow."
And as for Olivia's review?
"She absolutely loves them and she loves the look, which mattered to me," McCaffrey said. "If she likes the way they look, I'm extremely happy because that's tough."
'The CMC' may have McCaffrey's name on it, but after a year long of testing and plenty of feedback, getting the shoe to launch day was a full team effort.
And with the first edition officially out in the world, McCaffrey and while on earth are already thinking about what's next. He told Boardroom they're looking forward to hearing more feedback, experimenting with new designs, and continuing to build on this signature line.
