Ed McCaffrey
A sure-handed, fearless wide receiver whose blond hair and bloody face became a symbol of the Denver Broncos' late-1990s Super Bowl dominance.
Born 1968 (age 58)·American football player and coach·Birthday: August 17·Generation X
Biography
Ed McCaffrey didn't just catch footballs; he attacked the middle of the field with a disregard for his own safety that made him a fan favorite and a quarterback's security blanket. After winning a Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers, he found his true home in Denver, forming one half of the 'M&M Connection' with quarterback John Elway. McCaffrey was a master of the tough, possession catch over the middle, using his 6'5" frame to shield defenders. His iconic moment came in Super Bowl XXXIII, when he emerged from a crushing hit with a bloody facemask, a vivid image of toughness. He was a key component in the Broncos' back-to-back championship runs. After a gruesome broken leg threatened his career, he defiantly returned to play several more seasons. His legacy extends to the next generation, as he fathered a family of elite athletes, most notably his son, Christian McCaffrey.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Ed was born in 1968, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ed Was Born
The biggest hits of 1968
#1 Movie
2001: A Space Odyssey
Best Picture
Oliver!
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Ed's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1968Born
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1973Started school
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1981Became a teenager
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Could drive
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1986Could vote
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Turned 21
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1998Turned 30
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 40
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 50
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 58 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won three Super Bowl championships with three different teams: the New York Giants (XXV), San Francisco 49ers (XXIX), and Denver Broncos (XXXII, XXXIII).
- Was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1998 after a 1,053-yard, 10-touchdown season with the Denver Broncos.
- Caught a touchdown pass in Super Bowl XXXIII, famously playing with a bloodied face.
- Recorded over 1,000 receiving yards in three separate seasons for the Broncos.
Did You Know?
All four of his sons played NCAA Division I football: Max, Dylan, Christian, and Luke.
He caught the final touchdown pass of John Elway's career in Super Bowl XXXIII.
After retirement, he served as the head football coach at Northern Colorado University.
He majored in economics at Stanford University, where he was an All-American.
“I'll go over the middle, catch the ball, and take the hit.”
