49ers Legend Announces Sad Health Update After Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction

Former 49ers running back Roger Craig has been diagnosed with vascular dementia.

49ers Legend Announces Sad Health Update After Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction

Roger Craig (Image via Sports Illustrated)

Roger Craig is currently navigating a vascular dementia diagnosis, which the doctors believe could be related to all the concussions he suffered during his NFL days. The San Francisco 49ers icon shared about his medical condition in a pre-recorded message at the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2026 acceptance speech.

Carig played 11 seasons in the NFL for the 49ers, Raiders, and the Vikings. He retired in 1993. During that period, he won three Super Bowls, an Offensive Player of the Year award, a couple of All-Pro honors, and attended four Pro Bowls.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame voters selected Roger Craig as one of the five newest members in Canton. The 66-year-old, along with his family members and the football fraternity, watched his pre-recorded video message on vascular dementia on the jumbotron.

The changes were gradual… At first, they were easy to dismiss as normal aging. Over time, my family noticed it… [and] ultimately led us to seek answers from my doctor. Two things can be true. Football gave me opportunities beyond anything I can imagine. It helped shape the man I became. At the same time, we know more today about brain health than when I played.

With this message, Craig hopes to bring awareness in the football community. However, he doesn’t want to scare the next generation from dreaming about playing NFL football just because of the repercussions it will have on the body. He still loves the game and cherishes the memories. He added:

Football gave me everything—opportunity, discipline, lifelong friends, and a platform to grow as a man. This honor belongs to my parents, who started it all. It belongs to my wife, Vernessia, my children, and grandchildren, and it belongs to every coach, teammate and fan who is a part of this journey. I’m grateful. I’m grateful for this game.

The 49ers drafted Roger Craig 49th overall in 1983. He played eight seasons in the Bay Area before signing with the Raiders. His Raiders career lasted just one year. In 1992, he signed with the Vikings, and after two seasons in Minnesota, Craig announced his retirement from the NFL

Craig made 165 appearances, rushed 1991 times for 8189 yards, and scored 56 touchdowns. He also caught 566 passes for 4911 yards and scored 17 touchdowns. He was inducted into the Bay Area Hall of Fame in 2008.

Craig played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. In four seasons, he rushed 407 times for 2446 yards and scored 26 touchdowns.

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Roger Craig set the standard with an incredible 1985 season

Craig played football during a time when running backs weren’t viewed as an additional option in the receiving department. Craig’s brilliance during the 1985 season changed that perspective forever.

49ers Legend Announces Sad Health Update After Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction
Roger Craig (Image via Yahoo Sports)

Following his exploits a year earlier, when he gained 649 rushing yards and 675 receiving yards, 49ers coach Bill Walsh told Craig that he planned to increase his involvement on offense.

In 1985, Craig rushed for 1050 yards and received for 1016 yards. It was the first time any player had achieved such a feat in the NFL. Only a couple have managed to equal Craig’s achievement since then. Marshall Faulk, who had 1,381 yards rushing and 1,048 yards receiving for the 1999 Rams, and current 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, who had 1,387 yards rushing and 1,005 yards receiving while playing for the Panthers in 2019.

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