Roger Craig

Roger Timothy Craig (born July 10, 1960) is an American former football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL).

He played for the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Raiders and Minnesota Vikings.

Craig went to four Pro Bowls and won three Super Bowls with the 49ers.

Craig was the first NFL player to have 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season.

Marshall Faulk and Christian McCaffrey are the only other players to have accomplished that feat.

He currently works as the VP of Business Development at TIBCO Software.

Craig also ran one season of indoor track at Nebraska, finishing 4th in the 60 Meter hurdles at the Big 8 Indoor Championships.

His older brother, Curtis Craig, had also played running back, graduating from Central in 1974.

The Craig brothers were preceded at running back for Central by future Denver Broncos RB Jim Jensen.

The 1976 team, with Roger Craig and Williams, won the Iowa State Championship under Coach Jim Fox.

Williams went on to an NFL career as well and Curtis Craig was an All-Big 8 Player in 1977.

Roger Craig played three full seasons for the University of Nebraska.

In his Nebraska career, he rushed for 2,446 yards and 26 touchdowns, with an average of 6 yards per carry.

He was an integral running back in Osborne's I-formation option offense.

In 1978, his Senior year, Craig rushed for 1,565 yards and 27 touchdowns, earning prep All-America honors.

In his final high school game, a playoff loss, Craig rushed for 353 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Craig was an all-around athlete, also competing in wrestling and track.

In wrestling, he was an Iowa State Championships qualifier.

Craig attended Central High School in Davenport, Iowa, graduating in 1979.

There, he was teammates with future NFL TE Jamie Williams.

On the track, Craig finished 2nd in the Iowa State Track and Field Championships in both the 110 hurdles and the 400 hurdles as a Senior in 1979.

Craig broke the school record in the 110 hurdles that had been set by Jim Jensen.

Craig credited 10-time State Champion Coach Ira Dunsworth with helping develop his distinctive high knee running form.

Craig's time of 14.43 in the 110 hurdles is still listed among the All-Time Bests at the Iowa State Track and Field Championships.

Craig followed in the footsteps of Curtis Craig and Jamie Williams to graduate from Davenport Central and then attend Nebraska to play for Coach Tom Osborne.

After playing mainly for the Freshman squad in 1979, Craig rushed for 769 yards (7.1) and 15 TDs as a Sophomore in 1980.

As a Junior in 1981, Craig gained 1,060 yards on 173 carries (6.1) and six TDs.

Craig was also fourth on the team with 12 receptions for 87 yards and was named to the All-Big 8 Team.

In 1982, teaming with Mike Rozier in the backfield, Craig was injured early in the season and lost playing time while injured, but came back with 127-yards rushing in the regular-season final game.

Craig was the 49th overall selection in the 1983 NFL Draft, taken by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round from Nebraska, where he once held the record for longest run from scrimmage (94 yards, set during a 1981 game against Florida State University).

In his rookie year in 1983 playing under Bill Walsh and alongside Quarterback Joe Montana, Craig scored a combined 12 touchdowns rushing and receiving, as the 49ers reached the NFC Championship game.

Teammates of Craig during his tenure at Nebraska include QBs Jeff Quinn and Turner Gill; RBs Jarvis Redwine, I.M. Hipp, Andra Franklin, Craig Johnson, Jeff Smith and eventual Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier; T Dean Steinkuhler (#2 overall pick in 1984 NFL Draft); WR Irving Fryar (#1 overall pick in 1984 NFL Draft) and his hometown friend, TE Jamie Williams.

In Super Bowl XIX in January 1985, Craig rushed for 58 yards, caught seven passes for 77 yards, and became the first player ever to score three touchdowns in a Super Bowl during the 49ers' 38–16 victory over the Miami Dolphins.

The following season, Craig became the first in NFL history to run and receive for at least 1,000 yards in the same season.

He ran for 1,050 yards on 214 carries and led the NFL with 92 catches for 1,016 yards, and scored a team high 15 touchdowns.

With fullback Tom Rathman, also from Nebraska, the two formed the 49ers' "Cornfield Backfield."

Montana, Craig and Walsh would remain together until the 1988 season.

Craig First became well known in his rookie year for his distinctive high-knee running technique.

He is featured in the Dire Straits 'Walk of Life' video at the 3:13 mark.

In 1988, Craig was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press.