After years of waiting, Roger Craig finally high steps into Canton.
Craig will be inducted to football immortality in August.
Before NFL fans were thrilled by the likes of LaDanian Tomlinson, Christian McCaffrey or Marshall Faulk, there was one running back that arguably revolutionized the way offenses were schemed and how the running back position was played. A true dual threat running back in every sense, 49ers legend Roger Craig had been held out of Canton for years until he had qualified for the senior category for voters. In a year where so much has been made of the voting processes for the Pro Football Hall of Fame due to high profile candidates not elected in their first year of eligibility, a snub that has lasted over 28 years of voting from sports writers has finally been corrected. Roger Craig has finally been elected for enshrinement to the Hall of Fame.
For Craig, the wait was long. Over three decades since he played in his final game, Craig was overlooked by voters who would point to Craig’s supporting cast and “genius” head coach as to why he was successful in the 49ers’ west coast offense. Many of those teammates would point to Craig as the reason the offense was so effective. Despite the resume, the jewelry, and the championships, Craig had not been given the full recognition from the sports writers that he deserved until now.
As a second round pick out of Nebraska, Craig came to the 49ers as a fullback. Head coach Bill Walsh would utilize him as a tailback in a move that would pay huge dividends. While quarterback Joe Montana would be named Super Bowl 19 MVP, it was Craig who would run over the Dolphins’ defense for three total touchdowns in the game. The following season would be Craig’s finest, as he would become the first running back in NFL history to record a thousand yards in rushing and receiving in the same season. Craig would go on to win two more championships with the 49ers and would be named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1980s.
The wait has been long and the result far overdue for Craig, as well as most of the 49ers Faithful. The release of the video of 49er legend Ronnie Lott knocking on Craig’s front door to deliver the news of his enshrinement is one that many feared would not come but would stir emotions for anyone that had the privilege to watch both men fight for championships. As the years passed, the thought that Craig could be permanently shut out of Canton seemingly was becoming more real but despite the seemingly flawed voting process, the voters did finally get this right.
Ironically, Craig’s election comes 33 years after he hung up his cleats, but come August, Craig will finally high step his way to join his fellow 49er brothers as he will be enshrined into football immortality and will be able to finally put on his gold jacket and unveil his bust to the world.