Longtime Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Fran McCaffery was let go by the program after 15 seasons, seven NCAA tournament appearances, and one Big Ten Championship. On Tuesday, March 25, the coach inked a deal with the University of Pennsylvania to become the Quakers’ 23rd men’s head basketball coach.
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is coming off a down season. Hampered by injury, the superstar didn’t play until Week 10, started four games in the backfield, and was shut down again with a PCL injury to his right knee. But are the two related?
Are Christian McCaffrey and Fran McCaffery Related?
Christian and Fran are not related and, in fact, do not even spell their last names the same!
McCaffery grew up in Philadelphia, where he attended LaSalle College High School. He married Margaret and had three sons, Connor, Patrick, and Jonathan, and a daughter, Marit. His brother Jack is a sports columnist for the Delaware County (Pa.) Daily Times.
While McCaffery is not related to McCaffrey, there is a track of athleticism in the family.
Margaret was a standout women’s basketball player from Saint Paul, Minn., playing four seasons for Notre Dame from 1988-1992.
McCaffery’s son Patrick, who was taken to the University of Iowa hospital to have a cancerous thyroid tumor removed at 14, went on to become the all-time leading scorer in basketball at West High School in Iowa City.
McCaffery’s son Connor played basketball under his dad at Iowa. He was considered a top-250 recruit for the country while also playing for the Iowa Hawkeyes baseball team. Connor is now an assistant men’s basketball coach at Butler and is reportedly dating Caitlin Clark.
KEEP READING: How Many Kids Does Fran McCaffery Have? Meet the Former Iowa Coach’s Children
In 2018, Patrick committed to Iowa as a top-125 recruit in the class of 2019. He transferred to Butler for his final college season last year.
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