Nebraska Football Alum Roger Craig Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame

After contributing as a key member of the San Francisco 49ers dynasty in the 1980s, former Husker tailback Roger Craig's football legacy will forever be enshrined in Canton, Ohio.

San Francisco 49ers running back Roger Craig (33) on the field prior to Super Bowl XXIV against the Denver Broncos at the Superdome. The 49ers defeated the Broncos 55-10. | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Roger Craig's three-decade wait to hear his name join the hallowed halls of Canton, Ohio, officially came to a close Thursday night.

Craig, the Nebraska football alum and legendary NFL running back, was announced as one of the newest members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 during the NFL Honors ceremony. Craig had been reported by multiple outlets earlier in the week to have been elected to the Hall of Fame, as the announcement became official during the NFL Honors show in San Francisco.

The city setting was ideal for Craig, who earned his NFL Hall of Fame resume as a key part of the San Francisco 49ers' dynasty of the 1980s. The running back was one of the first two-way threats as a runner and receiver out of the backfield, and became the first player in NFL history to record a 1,000-yard rushing and 1,000-yard receiving output in the same season. Craig accomplished the mark in 1985, and would later lead the NFL with 2,036 yards from scrimmage en route to a 49ers Super Bowl in 1988.

San Francisco 49ers running back Roger Craig (33) and Guy McIntyre (62) in action against Washington Redskins defensive back Martin Mayhew (35) at Candlestick Park. | Peter Brouillet-Imagn Images

Prior to becoming a key cog of Bill Walsh's West Coast offense in the Bay Area, Craig was a native of Davenport, Iowa, who committed to play college football in Lincoln for Nebraska in 1979. Craig was a legacy Cornhusker, joining Nebraska after his older brother Curtis was a wingback for the Huskers from 1975-77.

Craig was almost an immediate star despite the depth at I-back for the Huskers in the early 1980s, beginning his sophomore season in 1980 as the third-string back yet gaining 769 rushing yards for a 7.1 yards per carry average along with 15 rushing touchdowns. The future Hall of Famer was named a Big Eight Conference offensive player of the week in a late matchup against Colorado, rushing for 176 yards and three scores after starters Jarvis Redwine and Craig Johnson were both unavailable due to injury.

Beginning his junior season in 1981, Craig led Nebraska in rushing with 1,060 yards on the ground while totaling only six scores, but he did become Nebraska's seventh single-season 1,000-yard rusher. Craig would split time with eventual Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier, as the duo would combine for 2,003 yards from the I-back position. During his final year in Lincoln, injuries would slow the eventual NFL draft pick down, while Craig would again split time with Rozier - including an experiment putting Craig at fullback with Rozier at I-back.

Craig would finish his four seasons at Nebraska three yards shy of the No. 3 spot in the career-rushing list at the time with 2,446 rushing yards. Craig now sits 21st all-time in Nebraska history,

San Francisco 49ers running back (33) Roger Craig follows the block of (81) Jamie Williams against New York Giants defensive tackle (70) Leonard Marshall at Candlestick Park during the 1990 NFC Championship Game. The Giants defeated the 49ers 15-13. | Tony Tomsic-Imagn Images

Craig would go on to be selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 1983 NFL Draft, being picked at No. 49 overall. His selection immediately vaulted the 49ers into contender territory again, as Craig won three of the four Super Bowls that San Francisco would claim in the decade. Craig and the 49ers would earn titles in 1984, 1988, and 1989, with the running back earning AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors in 1988.

Craig would finish his final season in San Francisco in 1990 with a one-year stint with the Los Angeles Raiders in 1991 and a two-year period with the Minnesota Vikings from 1992 to 1993. The Hall of Fame back finished his NFL career with 8,189 rushing yards, including 51 scores, while nabbing 566 receptions for 4,911 receiving yards with 17 touchdowns. The dynamic back finished with 13,100 total offensive yards over 11 NFL seasons.

Since Craig's historic 1,000 rushing, 1,000 receiving yard season in 1985, only two other running backs have surpassed the mark. Marshall Faulk of the 1999 St. Louis Rams became the second player in NFL history to earn the achievement en route to a Rams' Super Bowl title, while Christian McCaffery of the Carolina Panthers broke the barrier in 2019. Craig is also only one of three NFL running backs to lead the league in receptions for a single season, while his 410 yards from scrimmage in Super Bowl appearances are the third-most ever.

Exclusive: Roger Craig elected to Hall of Fame…according to multiple sources. Official announcement comes Thursday at @NFL Honors show. 65 year old #49ers legend is 3-time #SuperBowl champion who was 1st player to have 1K yards rushing/receiving in same season. @nbcbayarea pic.twitter.com/YDTr1KO8W2

— Raj Mathai (@rajmathai) February 4, 2026

Craig's pending induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame gives Nebraska football six members in Canton. The running back joins Guy Chamberlain, Roy "Link" Lyman, Bob Brown, Will Shields, and Mick Tingelhoff. Shields and Tingelhoff were both the most recent inclusions to the Hall of Fame with their induction back in 2015.

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