On Thursday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame revealed its semifinalists for the Class of 2024 with three former members of the San Francisco 49ers being among the prestigious list. Former running back Roger Craig and offensive coordinators Mike Shanahan and Mike Holmgren are among the 24 semifinalists for the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame class in the Seniors and Coach/Contributor categories.
Drafted by the 49ers in the second round of the 1983 NFL Draft, Craig rushed for a total of 7,064 yards on 1,686 carries and scored 50 rushing touchdowns in eight seasons with San Francisco. Craig became the first NFL player to total 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season and won three Super Bowls (XIX, XXIII, XXIV) with the 49ers. During his time in San Francisco, he also earned AP First-Team All-Pro and four Pro Bowl honors, was included in the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-1980s Team and was named the 1988 AP Offensive Player of the Year. Craig went on to play one season with the Los Angeles Raiders (1991) and two with the Minnesota Vikings (1992-93), totaling 13,100 yards from scrimmage and scoring 73 total touchdowns in his career.
Mike Shanahan, father of 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, was San Francisco's offensive coordinator from 1992-94. He won Super Bowl XXIX with the 49ers in his final season as the team's offensive coordinator, then moved on to become the longtime head coach of the Denver Broncos. In his 14 seasons with the Broncos, Shanahan went 138-86, making the playoffs seven times and winning back-to-back Super Bowls in 1997-98, the first two in franchise history. Throughout his head coaching career, Shanahan also worked in Los Angeles with the Raiders (1988-89) and in Washington (2010-13) to notch an overall record as a head coach of 170-138.
Holmgren was the 49ers offensive coordinator from 1989-91, winning Super Bowl XXIV in his first year as the team's OC. Holmgren went on to become the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1992-98 and the Seattle Seahawks from 1999-2008. His overall record of 174-122 includes a victory in Super Bowl XXXI with the Packers.
The next step in the Pro Football Hall of Fame's annual process will be to vote for the Class of 2024 finalists, with meetings scheduled in August.
Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2024 Semifinalists:
Seniors
- Quarterback Ken Anderson
- Linebacker Maxie Baughan
- Running back Roger Craig
- Linebacker Randy Gradishar
- Offensive tackle Joe Jacoby
- Defensive back Albert Lewis
- Defensive tackle Steve McMichael
- Cornerback Eddie Meador
- Wide receiver Art Powell
- Wide receiver Sterling Sharpe
- Wide receiver Otis Taylor
- Offensive/defensive tackle Al Wistert
Coach/Contributor
- Tom Coughlin
- Mike Holmgren
- Frank "Bucko" Kilroy
- Robert Kraft
- Buddy Parker
- Dan Reeves
- Art Rooney Jr.
- Marty Schottenheimer
- Mike Shanahan
- Clark Shaughnessy
- Lloyd Wells
- John Wooten
