San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey recently shared an amusing anecdote from the team's trip to Australia, where a simple compliment from a barber led to a moment of confusion.
McCaffrey, 30, recounted how a barber complimented his haircut by saying it was "cracker." Unfamiliar with the Australian slang, McCaffrey initially interpreted the term as a derogatory reference to white people, a meaning it carries in the United States. He was surprised and questioned the barber, "Sorry, what did you say?"
His teammates George Kittle and Deebo Samuel, who were present during the press conference, reportedly laughed as McCaffrey retold the story. McCaffrey clarified that he later learned "cracker" in Australia is slang for something that is very good. "I didn’t know what it meant, I guess that means it looks good. But that was funny," McCaffrey said.
The star running back mentioned that the barber repeated the compliment, and McCaffrey responded by saying, "Dude, I hear that every Sunday." He added with a smile, "We had a good moment. I enjoy all the slang."
The 49ers had a successful outing in Australia, defeating the Los Angeles Rams 27-7. McCaffrey contributed 10 carries for 68 yards and five receptions for 20 yards in the game. Rookie running back Kaelon Black also split carries with McCaffrey. The team is scheduled to return to the United States to face the Miami Dolphins in Week 2.