Niner Noise
FanSided

San Francisco 49ers: Ranking the 5 best running backs of all time

By Douglas Totten

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28 Jan 1990: RUNNING BACK ROGER CRAIG OF THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS EVADES A BROCOS DEFENDER DURING SUPER BOWL XXIV AT THE SUPERDOME IN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA. THE 49ERS DOWNED THE DENVER BRONCOS, 55-10, AS THEY WON THEIR FOURTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.
28 Jan 1990: RUNNING BACK ROGER CRAIG OF THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS EVADES A BROCOS DEFENDER DURING SUPER BOWL XXIV AT THE SUPERDOME IN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA. THE 49ERS DOWNED THE DENVER BRONCOS, 55-10, AS THEY WON THEIR FOURTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. /

No. 3: Roger Craig

Roger Craig is one of the best-known names in the history of 49ers running backs, and possibly the first name that comes to mind if you grew up watching Craig play alongside Joe Montana in the 1980s.

Craig was a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010 and is the only player to have been selected to the Pro Bowl as both a halfback and a fullback (1993). He was also the first player to gain at least 1,000 yards both rushing and receiving (1987).

After a collegiate career at Nebraska where he only caught 16 passes in three years, the 49ers great managed to be the first (and only) running back to gain 100 yards receiving in a Super Bowl. He was the perfect compliment to Montana as a great receiver out of the backfield, perfectly in tune with the West Coast Offense made famous by Montana and Hall of Fame head coach Bill Walsh.

Craig earned 13,143 yards (7,064 rushing) in his eight years with the 49ers.