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(VIDEO) 49ers Legend Roger Craig Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026
Roger Craig, the San Francisco 49ers’ versatile running back who became the first player in NFL history to rush and receive for 1,000 yards in a single season, has been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026.
The former 49ers star, a three-time Super Bowl champion and four-time Pro Bowler, earned induction through the seniors committee after years of advocacy from fans and former teammates. Craig’s selection caps a remarkable career that redefined the running back position and helped launch San Francisco’s dynasty of the 1980s.
Craig’s historic 1,000-1,000 season changed the game
Craig made history in 1985, the first year of Bill Walsh’s West Coast offense, when he rushed for 1,050 yards and added 1,016 receiving yards — a feat unmatched until Marshall Faulk in 1999 and Christian McCaffrey more recently. That dual-threat production, totaling 2,066 yards from scrimmage, showcased Craig’s unique skill set as both a power runner and reliable receiving option out of the backfield.
Over eight seasons in San Francisco (1983-1990), Craig amassed 6,535 rushing yards and 46 rushing touchdowns, plus 4,106 receiving yards and 15 receiving scores. His 1988 campaign — 1,502 rushing yards and 534 receiving yards — earned first-team All-Pro honors and cemented his status as one of the era’s elite backs.
Craig finished his 11-year career with the Los Angeles Raiders and Minnesota Vikings, retiring with 8,189 rushing yards, 4,911 receiving yards, 73 total touchdowns and membership on the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1980s.
Three Super Bowl rings anchor championship pedigree
Craig’s postseason résumé sparkles brightest. He played in 18 playoff games across 11 seasons, rushing for 841 yards and seven touchdowns while catching 51 passes for 606 yards and two scores. As a rookie in 1983, he scored the first touchdown of Super Bowl XVI in a 26-21 win over Miami. He added scoring runs in Super Bowls XIX and XXIII, victories over Miami and Cincinnati that completed San Francisco’s three titles in six seasons.
“From fullback to feature back, Roger did it all,” said former 49ers teammate Joe Montana. “He blocked for us, ran between the tackles, caught passes out of the backfield. Nobody impacted winning like Roger Craig.”
Drafted 49th overall in 1983 — making him the first No. 49 pick enshrined — Craig thrived under Walsh’s innovative scheme that demanded multifaceted backs ahead of their time.
Long road to Canton highlights Hall’s seniors process
Craig’s induction required navigating the Hall of Fame’s seniors committee, designed to recognize overlooked contributors from the pre-2000 era. He reached finalist status alongside Ken Anderson, L.C. Greenwood, Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft, but only Craig secured the necessary 80% threshold from the 50-member selection committee.
Each voter could select up to three finalists, creating intense competition. Reports indicated Belichick fell just short at 39 votes, leaving room for Craig’s election as the lone seniors inductee. “This was one of the most debated classes in years,” said committee chair Rick Berman. “Roger’s unique impact separated him.”
49ers fans had long championed Craig’s candidacy, frustrated by annual snubs despite his statistical dominance and championship pedigree. His 2026 election joins modern-era inductees Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Adam Vinatieri and Luke Kuechly in a star-studded class announced ahead of Super Bowl LX.
Redefining the running back position
Craig pioneered the modern “third-down back” archetype, excelling as runner, receiver and pass protector. His 566 career receptions ranked among the most for running backs when he retired, and his versatility influenced coaches like Walsh, Mike Holmgren and Andy Reid.
Only Hall of Famers like Faulk have matched his 1,000-1,000 season while winning Super Bowls. Craig’s blocking in San Francisco’s power sweep — often overlooked statistically — sprung Montana, Jerry Rice and John Taylor for big gains. “Roger was our engine,” Walsh once said. “Without him, none of it happens.”
Post-career, Craig transitioned to broadcasting and community work in the Bay Area, mentoring youth and supporting 49ers legends events. At 64, he becomes the 49ers’ 16th Hall of Famer, joining Montana, Walsh, Rice, Ronnie Lott and others from that dynasty.
49ers dynasty cornerstone finally gets gold jacket
San Francisco’s 1980s run — three Super Bowls, four NFC titles — rested on Craig’s consistency. He started as fullback behind Wendell Tyler, transitioned to feature back and finished as a trusted veteran. His 214-yard playoff outburst against the Giants in 1985 remains a franchise postseason record.
Class of 2026 ceremonies arrive August 2026 in Canton, where Craig joins an elite fraternity. “This is for every 49er fan who believed,” Craig posted on social media. “From the Bay to Canton — Faithful forever.”
Craig’s statistical legacy by the numbers
| Category | Regular Season | Playoffs | Career Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rushing Yards | 8,189 | 841 | 9,030 |
| Rushing TDs | 56 | 7 | 63 |
| Receiving Yards | 4,911 | 606 | 5,517 |
| Receiving TDs | 17 | 2 | 19 |
| Total Yds from Scrimmage | 13,100 | 1,447 | 14,547 |
Craig’s per-season averages — 746 rushing yards, 446 receiving — sustained across 148 games underscore his durability. No other back matched his receiving volume while maintaining 4.1 yards per carry.
Modern backs cite Craig as influence
Christian McCaffrey echoed Craig’s dual-threat blueprint, while Alvin Kamara and Austin Ekeler credit his receiving innovations. “Roger invented what we do,” McCaffrey said post-2025 1,000-1,000 season. “Hall of Fame overdue.”
49ers owner Jed York called Craig “the heart of our dynasty. His election validates everything Faithful fans knew.” Current coach Kyle Shanahan, whose father George contributed to Walsh’s staff, praised Craig’s “revolutionary impact.”
Hall process drama adds intrigue
Craig’s path highlighted tensions in the Hall’s evolving seniors system. Voters faced tough choices pitting Belichick’s dynasty against Craig’s innovations, Anderson’s MVP case and Greenwood’s Steel Curtain role. Belichick’s near-miss — reportedly 39 votes — freed the final spot, underscoring Craig’s broad appeal.
The maximum-three-seniors cap forced compromises, but Craig’s unanimous support among 49ers alumni proved decisive. “Finally,” tweeted Hall of Famer Steve Young. “Roger Craig belongs in Canton.”
Craig’s gold jacket cements his legacy as pioneer, champion and 49ers icon — a fitting tribute to the back who ran, caught and blocked his way into immortality.
