49ers legend Roger Craig breaks through years of Hall of Fame disrespect at last

This was long overdue.

When looking at lists of the biggest Pro Football Hall of Fame snubs, no list would be complete if it failed to mention San Francisco 49ers legendary running back Roger Craig.

That's finally changed after decades of waiting.

According to a report from NBC Bay Area's Raj Mathai, citing several sources, Craig will officially join the 2026 class of inductees into the Hall of Fame, the official announcement coming on Thursday, Feb. 5:

Craig seemingly inched closer and closer to donning a gold jacket over the years, but the end result always resulted in a snub.

Finally, after being selected as a finalist in the seniors category, it seemed as if 2026 would be the year.

Well, now it is.

Roger Craig's legacy finally gets long-overdue recognition

Craig's heyday paralleled the Niners' dynasty years of the 1980s where he was part of three Super Bowl championships but also helped usher in an entirely new era of how running backs were used.

Perhaps fans of modern football have grown accustomed to dual-threat players like San Francisco's current star, Christian McCaffrey, who is just one of only three to record 1,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving yards in a single season.

The first to do it? Craig back in 1985, then followed by St. Louis Rams Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk before McCaffrey's own achievement when he was with the Carolina Panthers. Prior to Craig, dual-threat running backs who doubled as legitimate receivers were rare and generally seen as "gadget" players, at best.

Craig changed all of that, especially with a league-high (yes, a running back led the NFL in this category) 92 receptions that season.

Overall, Craig finished his eight-year 49ers career as one of the franchise's absolute bests: 7,064 rushing yards, 4,442 receiving yards and 66 all-purpose touchdowns.

While long overdue, at least the Niners legend can finally be cemented as one of the NFL's best to do it.