Former 49ers running back Roger Craig took another step toward his long-awaited induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he was included in a group of 25 semifinalists for the Seniors category of the 2023 Hall of Fame class.
Craig revolutionized the running back position for the 49ers during his eight seasons in San Francisco. The 1983 second-round pick rushed for 8,189 yards in his career, and caught 566 balls for 4,911 yards. Those receiving numbers are what should ultimately get him into Canton.
In the 1985 season Craig caught a league-high 92 passes for 1,016 yards en route to becoming the first player to put up 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season. Only two other running backs have accomplished that feat since, even in an NFL that leans more on its RBs for pass-catching. Marshall Faulk did it in 1999, and Christian McCaffrey did it in 2019.
