Some days stick with you forever. And for the 49ers’ RB, Christian McCaffrey and the Stanford football family, May 15 is one of those days as they remember one of their late teammates. Five years have passed since the tragedy, yet it hits different like a gut punch since nobody ever saw it coming. The fallen hero wasn’t just a teammate. He was the guy who bonded everyone together. The glue guy. The heartbeat of every locker room he walked into. He was a safety who hit like a truck, an outfielder with a bat that could turn heads, and a soul so loud and vibrant, and in his memory, McCaffrey has a message…

Christian McCaffrey took to his Instagram story on this emotional day to pay tribute to his former Stanford teammate. It was a photo of former Stanford DB, Zach Hoffpauir, and had the message plastered across — “TODAY WE REMEMBER Zach Hoffpauir.” McCaffrey also added two simple heartfelt emojis, “🕊️🙏🏼.” Nothing loud. Nothing elaborate. Because sometimes, the heaviest emotions don’t need explaining. 

Less than a month after Zach Hoffpauir’s tragic passing in May 2020 due to accidental OD, the CFB brotherhood came together at Christ’s Church of the Valley in Peoria. Old Stanford teammates, baseball friends, even Ed McCaffrey, Christian’s dad, who had just hired the young guy to coach DBs at Northern Colorado. Tyler Thorne, a former pitcher, and Christian McCaffrey both took the stage to pay their tributes. And, it was a play of raw emotions. 

“It’s ironic in a world today that seems to be in so much division and chaos, we’re all united by one person,” Christian McCaffrey said. “Zach was always uniting us. When he was around, you felt no division. You were home. It’s important to celebrate this life. He was one of a kind. In 26 years, he lived a life that a lot of people don’t live when they get to 90. I’m proud to be up here and celebrate one of the best guys I met.”

Hoffpauir was a reliable person, both a brother and a mentor, which is what Christian called one of his favorite qualities about him. “He could face time you for three hours just to check in,” he added. “He would text you a Bible verse out of the blue and then say, ‘F U,’ if you didn’t respond.” That’s Hoff. You can almost see and feel the energy he had about him. No wonder five years later, people are still remembering him. 

CFB world gets emotional over a life bigger than football

The world gets loud when a good soul is lost. Former Stanford coach Mike Sanford Jr.’s wife, Anne Marie Sanford, took to the comments — “Loved Zach! My husband had the privilege to be a Coach at Stanford when he was there. Still so sad and shocked by his passing. 💔.” But Hoffpauir’s story didn’t end when the cleats came off. 

After at least five concussions and retiring from football in 2016, he still stayed in the game, coaching, mentoring, and loving hard. “One of the best humans I’ve ever known,” one person wrote. But the toll it took on him physically and mentally was heavy. Hoffpauir succumbed to an overdose. “R.I.P. 🙏🏼,” another person commented. At the time of his passing, he was living with his father Doug during the pandemic. 

Researchers later diagnosed him with Stage 2 CTE after examining his brain at the UNITE Brain Bank. “My condolences R.I.P🥺🥺💕,” a fan mourned. His case is a harsh reminder of the dark side of the sport we all love. Still, the legacy he left behind is unmatched.

Aside from the love he spread off the field, The Arizona Republic named him the greatest football player in Centennial’s rich history with 11 rushing TDs, 59 tackles, eight for losses, and six interceptions. One person echoed the sentiment of those close to him — “We miss him every day!!🤍” And five years later, the world still feels the void.

But as Christian McCaffrey said, Zach Hoffpauir brought unity in chaos. And through the grief, he still brings us together.