San Francisco 49ers fans believe former running back Roger Craig's induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame is long overdue. It's hard to believe he isn't already in Canton. On Thursday, Craig inched closer to yet another chance at football immortality. The Bay Area great was named among the final 12 senior candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2024.
𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐎𝐟 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒
Running back Roger Craig was the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year in 1988 and won three Super Bowls with the @49ers. pic.twitter.com/RRS9R1Mz4T
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) July 27, 2023
A two-person committee will reduce the list of 12 to up to three seniors on August 22.
Craig was the first player to record a "thousand-thousand" season when he had 1,050 rushing yards and 1,016 receiving yards in 1985. He also had 2,036 total yards from scrimmage in 1988, with 1,502 yards coming on the ground.
In 11 NFL seasons, Craig accumulated 4,911 receiving yards and 17 touchdown receptions, along with 8,189 rushing yards and 56 touchdowns on the ground. He added 606 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions to his 841 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns in 18 career playoff appearances.
Craig, a second-round pick by the 49ers in 1983, won three Super Bowls, was selected to four Pro Bowls, and was named a first-team All-Pro in 1988.
Each of Craig's NFL teams made the playoffs every season he played in the league.