Getty Former 49ers running back Roger Craig runs past the line of scrimmage during the 1990 NFC championship game against the New York Giants.
Good Morning Football on the NFL network sparked quite the running back debate on Friday, December 10 that involved one legendary San Francisco 49ers backfield star.
The debate featuring Peter Schrager and former NFL running back Maurice Jones-Drew: Who are the top three most underappreciated running backs of all time?
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“It could be anyone from the 1920s to today,” Schrager said.
From three to one, Schrager unveiled his personal list of backs. No, no one from the 1920s made Schrager’s cut. However, one 49er who had his most backfield success at Candlestick Park earned Schrager’s No. 1 ranking.
The Top ‘Most Underappreciated RB’
No. 3 for Schrager: Jamaal Charles of the Kansas City Chiefs. No. 2? Fred Taylor of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
But No. 1…Roger Craig, San Francisco.
Craig was known in the league for running with his high knees — perfecting that running art and as past 49ers revealed, the running back out of Preston, Mississippi used his knees as a weapon against defenders. Craig, though, said in 2017 that his hurdles background in track and field led to his rushing style.
That iconic high step 🏃🏿 Happy Birthday to Roger Craig!
No. 100: @49ers RB Roger Craig’s 46-yard high knees TD vs. Rams (Oct. 16, 1988) #NFL100
📺: NFL 100 Greatest Plays on @NFLNetwork
Why did Craig earn top billing by the NFL Network personality?
“These teams (the 49ers of the 1980s) were great and we always talk about Rice and Montana. Roger Craig, though, for a couple of years was the best running back in football,” Schrager explained. “And that included an era with Walter Payton on the field and Barry Sanders on the field.”
Was Craig ahead of his time?
“Roger Craig did things that people do now that was not considered normal back then,” Schrager pointed out. “He’s one of only three players in NFL history to have 1,000 receiving yards in a season and 1,000 rushing yards in a season.”
Schrager then pointed out a graphic on the screen that proved Craig is in elite company: Joining a list with Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk and Carolina Panthers All-Pro Christian McCaffrey as backfield stars who did their damage by land and air.
Schrager then referenced Craig’s 1985 season when the 49er not only ran for 1,050 yards, but added 1,016 receiving yards according to Pro Football Reference.
But there’s another reason why Craig earned the “underappreciated” label: He’s yet to be named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Craig’s Numbers & Accolades
Craig played 11 seasons in the NFL, earning four Pro Bowl appearances and landing on the First Team All-Pro list in the 1988 season.
But 49ers faithful likely remembers Craig providing the spark out of the backfield on S.F. teams that dominated defenses with Joe Montana at the controls at quarterback and Jerry Rice scoring touchdowns at wide receiver.
Craig went on to win three of the 49ers’ four Vince Lombardi Trophies during the 1980s. While Craig racked up 8,189 career ground yards in his career, 7,064 of it came when he was in the Bay Area. He also scored 50 of his 56 career rushing touchdowns as a 49er while additionally scoring 16 of his 17 career receiving touchdowns in the 49er uniform. He finished his career with 13,100 total yards from scrimmage.
Schrager wasn’t the only one raving about Craig’s play. Even MJD himself told the GMF crew Craig inspired him.
“The reason why I started to catch the football out of the backfield was because of him,” Jones-Drew said. “I wasn’t even a 49ers fan. I grew up a Raiders fan. But in the Bay Area, I was born in the 80s, so everyone would talk about all these guys who could catch the ball out of the backfield and all these different things. So you see now what he was able to do with the ‘Niners and that West Coast offense as you see now with McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara.”
The entire segment can be viewed below:
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