Fresh eucalyptus isn’t just a fragrant addition to your home—it’s a natural ally for your lungs.
The creation of this article included the use of AI and was edited by human content creators. Read more on our AI policy here.
You probably know Christian McCaffrey as one of the NFL’s most electric running backs.
But here’s something that might surprise you: the San Francisco 49ers star has been quietly developing a musical side hustle that recently put him on stage alongside one of country music’s biggest names.
McCaffrey, 29, showed up at the EA Sports Madden Bowl party inside San Francisco’s Chase Center on Feb. 6 and did something most professional athletes would never attempt.
He sat down at the piano and performed with Zach Bryan in front of a crowd that had no idea what was coming.
READ MORE: NFL Player Christian McCaffrey Opens Up About Fatherhood and Why Family Fuels His Game
Christian McCaffrey’s piano solo goes viral
Fan-shared videos captured the moment that went viral over the weekend.
According to SFGate, McCaffrey played keys during Bryan’s “Something in the Orange” and then delivered a full keyboard solo during “Revival” after Bryan formally introduced him to the crowd.
This wasn’t a celebrity cameo where someone waves from the stage. McCaffrey was actually playing.
@betr Christian McCaffrey played piano during a Zach Bryan concert last night 💀 #christianmccaffrey #zachbryan #sanfrancisco #superbowl (via @emster ♬ original sound - Betr
And here’s the thing: it wasn’t even his first time. McCaffrey performed with Bryan back in 2023, doing a similar keyboard solo for “Revival” during a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado.
The two have clearly built a musical rapport that goes beyond a one-time publicity moment.
How a star running back learned to play piano
McCaffrey’s piano origin story is almost too pitch-perfect.
In a 2024 interview with GQ Sports, McCaffrey admitted he started playing piano his freshman year of high school as a way of impressing girls.
But that initial motivation evolved into something deeper.
“I can’t read music. I just started listening to the sounds and trying to replicate it and watching videos,” he told GQ. “I’m no expert at all, but just the process of learning a song and the gratification you get when you do learn a song is something that’s important to me.”
READ MORE: Christian McCaffrey thanks wife Olivia Culpo for ‘doing dirty work’ of motherhood: ‘I feel guilty’
What started as a teenage strategy became a genuine passion. McCaffrey described music and playing piano specifically as a “passion of mine” and called his piano “probably my favorite thing that I own.”
For someone whose body takes a beating every NFL season, the appeal makes sense. McCaffrey described the instrument as a “mental escape,” a way to decompress that has nothing to do with film study or physical recovery.
McCaffrey isn’t the only musician in his household
Despite his recent performance, McCaffrey isn’t even the most accomplished musician in his own home.
His wife, Olivia Culpo, is a trained cellist with credentials that dwarf most amateur musicians. According to the Associated Press, Culpo has performed alongside world-renowned classical musician Yo-Yo Ma and has played at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
The musical talent also runs deep in her own family.
READ MORE: Olivia Culpo is already thinking about baby No. 2 with Christian McCaffrey: 'Jokes on me'
According to People, Culpo’s mother, Susan, is a classically trained musician who plays viola for the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra, Boston Pops, and Boston Symphony.
McCaffrey and Culpo, who married in June 2024, welcomed their daughter, Colette Annalise McCaffrey, on July 13. Given the household she’s been born into, piano lessons seem inevitable.
Why this matters beyond the viral moment
McCaffrey was named the 2025 NFL Comeback Player of the Year at the 2026 NFL Honors after a season that proved he could still perform at an elite level.
His team wasn’t playing in the Super Bowl this year, but he found a different stage at a Super Bowl party.
The self-taught approach McCaffrey described, learning by ear and replicating sounds from videos rather than reading sheet music, mirrors how many people pick up instruments outside formal training.
It’s a reminder that expertise isn’t always about credentials or traditional paths.
Professional athletes developing serious hobbies outside their sport isn’t new, but McCaffrey’s piano playing represents something worth noting: a high-profile figure openly pursuing a creative skill he’s still developing, admitting he’s “no expert at all,” and performing publicly anyway.
ALSO ON MOD MOMS CLUB: Olivia Culpo cheers on husband Christian McCaffrey at baby Colette's first 49ers game. ‘Go daddy!’
For anyone who’s ever hesitated to share a hobby they’re still learning, there’s something refreshing about watching someone with McCaffrey’s platform do exactly that, on stage, with one of country music’s biggest stars, in front of thousands of people recording on their phones.
