Canton-bound: 49ers legendary running back Roger Craig selected to Pro Football Hall of Fame

The wait appears to be finally over. Roger Craig, one of the most dominant running backs of the 1980s, has reportedly been selected for enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Craig, who was named to the All-Decades Team in the '80s, won three Super Bowl titles with the San Francisco 49ers. The official announcement will come on Thursday, but for now, it seems Craig is on his way to Canton for a long-overdue honor.

Update: The announcement was officially made at NFL Honors.

Craig was the heartbeat of the 49ers' dynasty during the 1980s, a perfect fit for Bill Walsh's revolutionary West Coast offense and a trusted weapon for quarterback Joe Montana as both a rusher and a receiver. 49ers reporter Matt Maiocco said that Walsh told him he couldn't do everything he wanted with his offense until Craig arrived. And Walsh orchestrated the use of that weapon in a way that NFL defenses struggled to figure out.

In Super Bowl XIX, Craig delivered one of the most dominant performances by a running back in Super Bowl history, scoring three touchdowns against the Miami Dolphins. He didn't take home the MVP trophy that night—Montana did. But anyone watching understood Craig's value.

"Rog was also a great teammate," Montana said. "He never complained, even when he wasn't getting the ball. A lot of guys aren't happy if they're not getting the ball. But Roger Craig just wanted to win. And he would do whatever the team needed him to do. Everyone has seen his great runs, but watch what he did when he didn't have the ball. He'd be blocking down the field. Never a harder worker. Just a great guy."

Craig changed the position. In 1985, he became the first player in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards and have 1,000 yards receiving in the same season, a milestone so ahead of its time that it wouldn't be matched again for years. Today's dual-threat running backs trace their lineage directly back to Craig, whether they realize it or not.

Hall of Famer and former teammate Ronnie Lott put it simply: "When you're the first to do something, that in and of itself is Hall of Fame material. When you think of the game, in 80 years, people did a lot of things, but Roger did something significant, something no one else had done."

Over an 11-year career, Craig amassed more than 13,000 yards from scrimmage, scored 73 touchdowns, earned four Pro Bowl selections, and won three Super Bowl championships. But numbers only tell part of the story.

Former team president, Carmen Policy, said, "Look at how he changed the game—the versatility that he introduced to the running back position. It allowed Walsh to be more creative. Think about this...why is someone deserving to be inducted? It's their contribution to the game, and is it growing? That describes Roger, and it adds to his credence."

For years, Craig's absence from the Hall of Fame was viewed as one of its most glaring omissions—a painful reality for fans, teammates, and Craig himself. Each year brought hope, only to be followed by disappointment. Yet he never lashed out, never demanded recognition.

Now, there is no more waiting.

When Roger Craig steps into Canton and puts on the gold jacket on August 8, he won't just represent his own career; he'll represent a generation of football, a dynasty built on selflessness, and a position forever changed by a player who was simply ahead of his time.

At long last, the Hall of Fame doors appear to have opened. And Roger Craig will soon walk through them.