Why is Roger Craig in Hall of Fame? Revisiting trend-setting career with 49ers dynasty

Roger Craig remains one of the most under-appreciated running backs of his time. 

Craig will get his due at the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday. Craig joins Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri in this year's class. 

Craig played 11 seasons in the NFL from 1983-1993 – including eight seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, one with the Los Angeles Raiders and two with the Minnesota Vikings. 

How good was Craig? He was a trend-setting multi-purpose running back with one distinct claim to fame. 

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Where did Roger Craig go to college? 

Craig was part of a dynamic rushing tandem with Mike Rozier at Nebraska. Craig led the Huskers with 1,060 rushing yards and six TDs as a junior in 1981 before Rozier – who won the Heisman Trophy – emerged as the leading rusher the final season. 

The 49ers drafted Craig with the No. 49 overall pick in the 1983 NFL Draft. He had just 16 receptions in his college career, but that role quickly would change with the 49ers. 

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Roger Craig was the first 1,000/1,000 back in NFL history 

In 1985, Craig became the first NFL running back in NFL history to have 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in the same season. 

Craig compiled 214 carries for 1,050 yards and nine TDs, and he added a league-high 92 receptions for 1,016 yards and six more TDs for the 49ers, who finished 10-6 but lost in the NFL Wild Card to the New York Giants. 

Craig emerged as a focal point in Bill Walsh's offense as a favorite target for Joe Montana in an offense that featured rookie receiver Jerry Rice. Craig had two games with at least 100 yards rushing and two more with 100 yards receiving. He finished third in the NFL MVP voting behind Raiders running back Marcus Allen and Bears running back Walter Payton. 

Since then, only Rams running back Marshall Faulk and back Christian McCaffrey have enjoyed 1,000/1,000 seasons. Here is how those seasons stack up. 

Roger Craig career statistics 

Craig rushed for 8,189 yards and 56 TDs at running back. He had his best season in 1988, when he rushed for a career-high 1,502 yards. That ranked third in the NFL behind Eric Dickerson (1,659) and Herschel Walker (1,514). 

Craig, however, continued to make his mark as a versatile pass-catching running back. He finished with 566 catches for 4,911 yards in those West Coast offense schemes, which set the table for running backs such as Faulk and McCaffrey. According to Stat Muse, Craig ranks 10th all time among running backs in receptions. Faulk (767) is first, and McCaffrey (626) ranks third behind Faulk and Larry Centers (761).

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How many Super Bowls did Roger Craig win?

Montana, Craig and Rice were the primary skill-position stars for the San Francisco 49ers during the 1980s – and Craig was a key piece on three Super Bowl championship teams. In three Super Bowl appearances, Craig had 52 carries for 198 yards and two TDs and 20 catches for 212 yards and two TDs. That's 136.7 total yards per game. 

Craig had a huge performance in Super Bowl XIX in a 38-16 victory against the Miami Dolphins. He had 15 carries for 58 yards and a TD — and he added seven catches for 77 yards and a TD. The image of Craig high-stepping into the end zone on the final TD remains one of the most enduring images from the victory. 

Craig followed that up with 17 carries for 71 yards and eight catches for 101 yards in the 20-16 victory against Cincinnati in Super Bowl 23. He had 20 carries for 69 yards and a TD and five catches for 34 yards in a 55-10 victory against Denver in Super Bowl 24. 

Should Roger Craig be in the Hall of Fame?

Yes. Craig ranks 76th all time in NFL history with 13,143 all-purpose yards. McCaffrey ranks 75th with 13,202 yards – which some would argue would be close to Hall of Fame status now. Craig was that type of role player during the 49ers' dynasty, and it's a bit of a surprise it took this long for the running back to reach Canton. 

Roger Career year-by-year statistics

A look at Roger Craig's statistics through 11 NFL seasons with the 49ers, Raiders and Vikings.