The phrase, football-born, family-bred, fits perfectly in the McCaffrey household. “Growing up I was Ed’s kid, we were always Ed’s sons,” Christian McCaffrey said last year. “So in a way, that was an advantage for us because we got to experience a little bit of that already.” But there was always more brewing behind the stat lines and shoulder pads. “We all kind of wanted to branch off and create our own name.” Now? That bond is even tighter. When Christian married Olivia Culpo in 2024, all three of his brothers, Max, Dylan, and Luke, stood by him as groomsmen. The message was simple: no matter where life takes them, they show up for one another. Always.
This weekend, June 21, it was Max’s turn. The eldest McCaffrey brother, now a rising coach with the Dolphins, stood suited up alongside his longtime partner, Kathleen Messier, who wore a white corseted gown. Kathleen marked the moment with a simple Instagram story: “Let’s have a day.” No long caption. No hashtags. Just the two of them, locked in, smiling. You could feel the ease, the kind that comes from years of knowing, waiting, and building toward something real.
Credits: Instagram/@kjmess11
Her dress? Straight out of V. Chapman’s bridal collection. The boutique re-shared her story with a caption of their own: “The Romanza Dress!” It’s an elegant corset gown with romantic boning details, a chiffon bow, and soft mesh lining for comfort. And what’s important is that it was befitting for the occasion.
This wasn’t spur-of-the-moment love either. They’d been manifesting this day since 2024. In an IG post dated exactly a year before the ceremony, Kathleen shared photos from Max’s 2023 proposal at Hilton Head Island, writing: “365 days until I meet you back here, once again all dressed up in white.” It was a longtime coming, indeed.
Max, a former Duke standout, and Kathleen, a fellow Blue Devil and ex-operations director at Northern Colorado, have long been a team. Not just romantically, but in the daily grind. Recruiting trips. Sideline scripts. Film sessions. Career pivots. Football was always there, sure. But never the full story. Now, that story got its purpose with the ceremonial “I do.”
It’ll be a festive season for the McCaffreys these next couple of weeks. But then, the newlyweds will be back to grind. Max will return to Miami, where he’s an offensive assistant under Mike McDaniel, while Kathleen continues to navigate the coaching world alongside him.
Christian McCaffrey’s brother will mean business in Miami
While the 49ers RB has achieved huge success in the league, his eldest brother’s own path is winding. Undrafted in 2016, Max had a journeyman’s route through the Raiders, Packers, the Niners, XFL, and finally coaching at Northern Colorado. In 2023, he joined the Dolphins’ staff as an offensive assistant.
Max McCaffrey’s Dolphins days didn’t start with fanfare. He arrived in March 2023 as an offensive assistant as a part mentor. The Phins’ offense exploded that season, 11 wins, first in total yards (401.3 ypg), first in passing (265.5 ypg), second in scoring (29.2 ppg), and leading the league in explosive plays. That’s not luck, its intentional growth, and Max helped hijack part of that climb.
“Max loves the game,” Ed said, who also played 13 seasons as a WR and also coached at Northern Colorado. So, obviously, Ed has seen, and has understood how each of his 4 sons view the game. “Even when I was ready to shut it down for the night, Max was still watching film.” That hunger is real. It’s the kind that doesn’t switch off when you leave the facility. He’ll carry his laptop to dinner. He’ll rewind motion sets at 11 PM. The NFL doesn’t just ask for commitment anymore. It demands obsession. And Max? He’s already there.
So, as Dolphins coaching meetings ramp up and football summers heat up, expect to see Kathleen in the background, quiet but present and uncredited. And Max? He’ll walk through life in sync with her. They’re navigating coaching, careers, and commitments, not separate journals, but a joint playbook. Welcome to the next chapter.
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