San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey found himself momentarily taken aback by a common Australian slang term during his team's recent trip to Melbourne for a regular season NFL game. While getting a haircut, McCaffrey was told by a barber that his hair looked 'cracker.'
McCaffrey, unfamiliar with the Australian idiom, initially expressed confusion. "Sorry, what did you say?" he asked. In Australia, 'cracker' is an expression of endearment, signifying something is 'great' or 'very good.' However, in the United States, the word 'cracker' is a racial slur directed at white people, with historical connotations of poverty and derogatory sentiment.
McCaffrey recalled the interaction with amusement, noting that after understanding the Australian meaning, he quipped to the barber, "Dude, I hear that every Sunday." He added that he enjoyed learning local slang during his time in Australia.
The 49ers played the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, marking the first NFL regular season game held in Australia. The team arrived over a week prior to the game to acclimate to the time difference and environment.
McCaffrey had a productive outing in the 49ers' 27-7 victory over the Rams, accumulating 68 rushing yards on ten carries and adding 20 receiving yards on five catches. This performance followed an offseason where he experienced some limitations due to injury. Head coach Kyle Shanahan noted that McCaffrey dealt with cramping during the game but praised the efforts of both McCaffrey and rookie backup Kaelon Black, stating they "both ran really hard and really well."
The 49ers will have an extended break to readjust to Pacific Time before their home opener against the Miami Dolphins on September 20.