After decades of waiting, San Francisco 49ers legend Roger Craig has been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2026, a long-overdue honor for one of the most influential running backs in NFL history.

Craig was announced as an inductee Thursday night during the NFL Honors ceremony in San Francisco. Renowned for redefining the running back position, Craig was the first player to record 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season, a feat that underscored his rare versatility and helped shape modern offensive football.

Wearing No. 33 throughout most of his career, Craig’s Hall of Fame induction comes exactly 33 years after he played his final NFL game. Former teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Jerry Rice summed up the sentiment shared by many: “It’s about time.”

Now 65, Craig will be enshrined this summer in Canton, Ohio, alongside fellow Class of 2026 inductees Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri. While attention around the selection process also focused on notable omissions, Craig’s election marked a celebratory moment for the 49ers and their storied 1980s dynasty.

Craig was a cornerstone of Bill Walsh’s revolutionary West Coast Offense, using his skills as both a runner and receiver to stretch defenses in ways rarely seen at the time. Quarterback Joe Montana once said Craig was so multidimensional that, in today’s game, he would likely line up as a wide receiver as often as a running back.

A second-round pick in the 1983 NFL Draft out of Nebraska, Craig quickly evolved into the centerpiece of one of the most innovative offenses in league history. He earned four Pro Bowl selections, won three Super Bowls, and became the first player to score three touchdowns in a Super Bowl, accomplishing that milestone in Super Bowl XIX against the Miami Dolphins.

In 1985, Craig made history with his groundbreaking 1,000-yard rushing and receiving season. Only Marshall Faulk and Christian McCaffrey have matched that achievement in the four decades since. Three years later, Craig was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for more than 1,500 yards while adding 76 receptions.

Craig was later named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1980s and now becomes just the third offensive player from that dominant 49ers era to enter the Hall of Fame, joining Montana and Rice. He still ranks among the all-time leaders in Super Bowl yards from scrimmage and touchdowns.

Beyond statistics, Craig was known for his leadership and work ethic. He famously introduced Rice to the grueling Edgewood Park running trail known as “The Hill,” which became a key part of Rice’s legendary training routine.

Craig also spent time with the Raiders and Minnesota Vikings, reaching the postseason in all 11 of his NFL seasons. When his playing career ended, he signed a one-day contract to retire as a 49er, a gesture he said was meant to honor the fans and the organization where his legacy was built.

Now, that legacy is permanently cemented. Craig’s bust will soon take its place in Canton, ensuring that his pioneering impact on the game is remembered forever.