San Francisco 49ers: 10 best single-season performances in franchise history
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: Running Back Roger Craig the 49ers’ Best Offensive Weapon in 1985
It still makes zero sense former Niners running back Roger Craig hasn’t been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Not just because of the numbers, because they’re there, but also because of the impact he had on the game. He was one of the first truly effective dual-threat running backs, who not only commanded a prowess on the ground, but doubled as a serious receiving threat.
And no other campaign epitomized that more than Craig’s 1985 efforts.
As far as running backs go, this year was the best for all San Francisco tailbacks. While Craig had many a great season donning red and gold, 1985 stood out.
Case in point, Craig rushed for a solid 1,050 yards on 214 carries for nine touchdowns, averaging 4.9 yards per attempt. But to make things even more exemplary, Craig added another 1,016 yards on 92 receptions with six more touchdowns to push his total yards from scrimmage to 2,066.
That’s insane.
What makes it even more insane is Craig’s 92 receptions that season led the entire league.
A running back leading the league in receptions tells you something about why Craig’s 1985 efforts rank so high on this list.