CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey on Sunday became the third player in NFL history to reach 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season.
McCaffrey caught a 17-yard pass over the middle from Kyle Allen with about two minutes left in the third quarter, cutting up-field against the New Orleans Saints for the final yards he needed to reach 1,000 for the season.
He became the third player in NFL history to reach 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season. He joins former San Francisco 49er Roger Craig, who first reached those marks in 1985, and former St. Louis Ram Marshall Faulk matched that feat in 1999.
McCaffrey easily surpassed 1,000 rushing yards this season, entering Sunday's game with 1,361 on an average of nearly five yards per game. He needed 67 yards Sunday to reach the receiving mark.
Entering Sunday, McCaffrey had 109 catches for an average of 8.6 yards. He had a season-high 15 receptions a week ago at the Indianapolis Colts.
His total yards from scrimmage entering Sunday _ 2,294 _ were by far the most in the NFL this season.
Interim coach Perry Fewell said last week that the Panthers wouldn't force-feed McCaffrey targets just to pursue a record, but that the running back was a huge part of their offense, so he would continue to be featured against New Orleans. The subtler question would be how much McCaffrey would play in a game with no playoff implications for the Panthers.
"I'm not saying I won't pull him at some point and time in the game, but we're going to try and win," Fewell said adding, if the game stays close "he'll be in there."
The Saints, who had playoff seeding still at stake, took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, dominating a Carolina run defense that has been porous all season.
The difference between Craig and Faulk then, and McCaffrey now, is the 49ers and Rams were in playoff runs with high-powered offenses. McCaffrey's all-purpose value this season has been one of few bright spots for a Panthers team that entered Sundays' season finale against the New Orleans Saints on a seven-game losing streak.
Over McCaffrey's historic season, the Panthers burned through three quarterbacks. Cam Newton was lost after the second game with what proved to be a season-ending foot injury. Kyle Allen took over and played unevenly until the Panthers turned quarterback over to rookie Will Grier for the last two games of the season.
