Former Nebraska Cornhusker running back and 3x Super Bowl champion Roger Craig has been eliminated from consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023. Craig played 11 seasons in the NFL, nine of them with the San Fransico 49ers. He also has the rare honor of making the playoffs every year of his NFL career, with four Pro-Bowl selections and an All-Pro selection in 1988. The former Husker is also a member of the NFL’s 1980s All-Decade Team and the 49ers Hall of Fame. Craig was also the first player to have 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season (1985). The Davenport, Iowa native played at Nebraska from 1979-1982 and was a second-round selection in the second round in the 1983 draft.
This decision is a prime example of why I don’t put any stock in the Hall of Fame and have little to no faith in the selection committee that makes these calls. A cursory glance at the stats and the body of work would tell you that Roger Craig is a no-brainer Hall of Famer. However, I’m genuinely starting to believe that the people who make these decisions don’t know or care about the history of the game of football which is a problem when selecting the Hall of Fame! Without Roger Craig, there’s no Marshall Faulk, LaDainian Tomlinson, or any modern running back for that matter. Craig was one of the first backs to show NFL coaches that they were not just ball carriers but also weapons to contribute to the passing game. He and Bill Walsh redefined how the position could contribute to a modern offense for future NFL running backs to follow.
Why would the NFL and its Hall of Fame want to honor that? Why show respect and appreciation for the past generations and their role in helping create the modern version of the game? Unfortunately, the Pro Football Hall of Fame once again proves its selection process is flawed and lacks accountability. A committee that meets behind closed doors and never has to explain or defend its decisions is unacceptable. It’s time for the Hall of Fame to change the way they select its members, and then maybe we’ll have a process that honors players who helped redefine the game, players like Roger Craig. Let’s hear from these detractors and make them defend their decision in public. Until then, nothing they say or do will matter much to me.