San Francisco 49ers legend Roger Craig took a significant step toward football immortality on Wednesday. The former NFL running back was named one of five finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026, joining senior finalists Ken Anderson and L.C. Greenwood, coach finalist Bill Belichick, and contributor finalist Robert Kraft.
To earn induction, Craig must secure at least 80% approval from the Hall of Fame selection committee. Each voter may choose only three of the five finalists, and a maximum of three individuals from this group can be enshrined alongside the modern-era inductees in 2026.
A vote will take place next year, ahead of Super Bowl LX.
Craig’s absence from the Hall remains one of the most debated oversights in the eyes of 49ers fans, especially considering his remarkable career accomplishments. In 1985, he became the first player ever to post a “thousand-thousand” season, finishing with 1,050 rushing yards and 1,016 receiving yards.
Three years later, he totaled 2,036 yards from scrimmage—including 1,502 on the ground—during a dominant 1988 campaign.
Over his 11 NFL seasons, Craig amassed 8,189 rushing yards and 56 rushing touchdowns, along with 4,911 receiving yards and 17 touchdown receptions. In the postseason, he added 841 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns, 606 receiving yards, and two touchdown catches across 18 career playoff games.
A second-round pick by the 49ers in 1983, Craig earned four Pro Bowl selections, a first-team All-Pro honor in 1988, and helped lead San Francisco to three Super Bowl championships.