The Wait Is Over: Nebraska Alum Roger Craig Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame

He was a versatile and dynamic part of the San Francisco 49ers' dynasty of the 1980s. Now the former Husker I-back will have his legacy forever enshrined in Canton, Ohio.

San Francisco 49ers running back Roger Craig 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 enter the hallowed halls of Canton, Ohio, is finally over.

The Nebraska alum who broke new ground as an NFL running back was announced as one of five members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026 during ceremonies Thursday night in San Francisco.

The Bay Area setting was fitting for Craig, who built his résumé as a key part of the San Francisco 49ers' dynasty of the 1980s. A two-way threat as a runner and receiver out of the backfield, he was the first player in NFL history to top 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in the same season. Craig accomplished that in 1985 and later led the NFL with 2,036 yards from scrimmage in 1988.

Roger Craig carries the ball during a game against the Washington Redskins. | Peter Brouillet-Imagn Images

Prior to becoming a key cog in coach Bill Walsh's West Coast offense, Craig arrived at Nebraska in 1979 from Davenport, Iowa, to play college football. Craig was a legacy Cornhusker, joining the program after his brother Curtis was a wingback for the Huskers from 1975-77.

It didn't take long for Craig to turn heads in Lincoln. While his speed, power and elusiveness were a potent mix, it was his distinctive high-knees running style that made him easy to identify without a game program.

He began his sophomore season in 1980 as the third-string I-back on a team that was deep at his position, yet he rushed for 769 yards, averaged 7.1 yards per carry and scored 15 touchdowns. In late October, he was named Big Eight Conference Offensive Player of the Week for his 176-yard, three-touchdown performance at Colorado. In that game, he came off the bench in the first quarter after Jarvis Redwine and Craig Johnson left with injuries.

As a junior in 1981, Craig led the team in rushing with 1,060 yards, becoming Nebraska's seventh single-season 1,000-yard ground-gainer. He piled up those numbers despite splitting time with newly arrived sophomore Mike Rozier, the Huskers' future Heisman Trophy winner.

During his final year in Lincoln in 1982, injuries slowed Craig down while he again split time with Rozier — including an experiment putting Craig at fullback with Rozier at I-back.

Roger Craig follows the block of another former Husker, Jamie Williams, during the 1990 NFC Championship Game against the New York Giants. | Tony Tomsic-Imagn Images

Craig finished his four seasons at Nebraska just three yards shy of the No. 3 spot on the career rushing list at the time with 2,446 yards. Little did fans know, however, that even greater things were in store at the next level.

In the 1983 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers selected Craig in the second round with the No. 49 overall pick. The Niners and Craig became a force, winning Super Bowls to cap the 1984, 1988 and 1989 seasons. In 1988, the Associated Press named Craig the NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

Craig followed his final season in San Francisco in 1990 with a one-year stint with the Los Angeles Raiders and a two-year stretch with the Minnesota Vikings. He finished his NFL career with 8,189 rushing yards and 51 rushing touchdowns, while nabbing 566 receptions for 4,911 receiving yards and 17 more scores. It all added up to 13,100 yards from scrimmage over 11 NFL seasons.

When Roger Craig opened the door, everything changed. See his Hall of Fame moment in “Hall of Fame Knocks: Class of 2026,” on NFL Network, Saturday, Feb. 7, at 10 p.m. EST. Class of 2026 presented by @VisualEdgeIT. @49ers @NFL @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/f18ZmyvJZq

— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) February 6, 2026

Since Craig's historic double-1,000 season as a rusher and receiver in 1985, only two NFL players have matched the feat: Marshall Faulk in 1999 and Christian McCaffery in 2019. Craig is also one of only three NFL running backs to lead the league in receptions in a single season. He was the first player to score three touchdowns in a single Super Bowl, and his 410 yards from scrimmage in Super Bowls are the third-most ever.

Craig's formal induction will take place this summer in Canton. When he puts on that gold jacket, he will join Guy Chamberlain, Link Lyman, Bob Brown, Will Shields and Mick Tingelhoff in the exclusive fraternity of former Huskers enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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