Luke McCaffrey reveals surprise offseason mentor behind Commanders breakout

Luke McCaffrey's growth from his rookie campaign to his second season has been a breath of fresh air when the Washington Commanders needed it most. And the athletic pass-catcher revealed one surprising driving force that helped him along the way during the offseason.

The Commanders needed McCaffrey to step up with so many injuries to influential personnel. Second-team All-Pro Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown have both missed multiple weeks. Not exactly the best way to start the new campaign, but the 2024 third-round pick has come to the fore and raised confidence in his ability to make plays on the biggest stage.

McCaffrey looks more explosive. His route-running is more nuanced, and he's tracking the football much better through the air. Superstar quarterback Jayden Daniels has noticed it, and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is starting to reward the wideout in crucial situations.

Luke McCaffrey's development was enhanced by someone outside the Commanders

Obviously, McCaffrey's relentless work ethic and constant desire to improve have played a leading role in his second-year surge. However, the player also credited spending time with veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen this offseason as a significant factor in his development.

He's an incredible person. It was super nice of him to help me out with that when I was in Charlotte at the time training, and he let me come to his house and watch him throw and stuff so I could get a feel.Luke McCaffrey via Commanders.com

Thielen, who was playing for the Carolina Panthers at the time, never got to play with Christian McCaffrey in Charlotte. However, this connection no doubt put his brother in touch with the two-time Pro Bowler, and he was only too happy to pass on his knowledge.

The recently traded wideout emerged from an undrafted free agent to become one of the league's most accomplished route technicians from the slot. This is a role McCaffrey is also looking to carve out for himself in Washington, and although it's taken much more than Thielen's wisdom, it's clearly helped considerably.

Even when the Commanders are finally at full strength in their receiver room, McCaffrey has done more than enough for prolonged involvement within Kingsbury's schematic concepts. The fact that he's also one of the league's most productive kick returners only heightens confidence about his long-term outlook with the franchise.

And if McCaffrey continues to evolve en route to a profitable career, he'll look back to the time spent with Thielen as a pivotal turning point.