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San Francisco 49ers running back Roger Craig won three Super Bowl championships. Imagn Images

CBS Sports: One Husker Who Should Have Uniform Number Retired by His NFL Team

Originally posted on Nebraska Cornhuskers on SI
By Chuck Bausman | Last updated Aug 20, 2025 11:23 AM ET

CBS Sports recently selected a player from each NFL team who should have their number retired. One former Nebraska player is on the list of 32 — running back Roger Craig, of the San Francisco 49ers.

We recently wrote about Craig, who was honored by ESPN as being the greatest No. 49 overall draft pick in history. In researching that article, it was surprising that Craig wasn’t in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It was just as surprising that Craig’s number 33 hasn’t been retired by the Niners.

Craig’s running game was a major factor in the 49ers winning Super Bowls in 1985, 1989 and 1990. Joe Montana led the elite passing attack but Craig’s rushing yards also were valuable.

San Francisco has retired 12 uniform numbers.

* 8: Steve Young, QB
* 12: John Brodie, QB
* 16: Joe Montana, QB
* 34: Joe Perry, FB
* 37: Jimmy Johnson, CB, WR
* 39: Hugh McElhenny, RB
* 42: Ronnie Lott, S/CB
* 70: Charlie Krueger, DL
* 73: Leo Nomellini, DT/OT
* 79: Bob St. Clair, OT
* 80: Jerry Rice, WR
* 87: Dwight Clark, WR

CBS Sports’ Bryan DeArdo wrote about Craig’s omission: “Patrick Willis was also deserving, but Craig was the pick given his impact on the 49ers’ dynasty during the 1980s. One of the best players currently not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Craig won Offensive Player of the Year the season the 49ers won their third of four Super Bowls during the decade.

“Three years earlier, the versatile Craig scored a Super Bowl single-game record three touchdowns in San Francisco’s blowout win over Miami.”

Darr Beiser-Imagn Images

Craig played eight years for the 49ers. He was the first NFL player to have 1,000 yards and 1,000 receiving in one season (1985).

Roger Craig with the Huskers

Craig played for Nebraska from 1979-82. He gained 2,446 yards on the ground on 407 carries (6.0 average). He scored 26 rushing touchdowns. He had 16 catches for 102 yards and zero touchdowns.

Craig was induced into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in the Class of 1989.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

From the other 31 teams, there are Hall of Famers whose numbers have not been retired. Others were local legends, icons to the fan base. The Patriots’ Stanley Morgan, who played for the University of Tennessee, is on CBS Sports’ list. He is not directly related to the Nebraska player of the same name who played in Lincoln from 2015 to 2018.

Here is CBS Sports’ top players from each team to not have their number retired, with their position and uniform number:

* Cardinals: WR Larry Fitzgerald, 11
* Falcons: QB Matt Ryan, 2
* Ravens: LB Ray Lewis, 52
* Bills: WR Andre Reed, 83
* Panthers: QB Cam Newton, 1
* Bears: LB Brian Urlacher, 54
* Bengals: OT Anthony Munoz, 78
* Browns: TE Ozzie Newsome, 82
* Cowboys: DT Bob Lilly, 74
* Broncos: RB Terrell Davis, 30
* Lions: WR Calvin Johnson, 81
* Packers: QB Aaron Rodgers, 12
* Texans: DE JJ Watt, 99
* Colts: WR Marvin Harrison, 88
* Jaguars: WR Jimmy Smith 82
* Chiefs: WR Otis Taylor, 89
* Raiders: QB Ken Stabler, 12
* Chargers: TE Antonio Gates, 85
* Rams: QB Kurt Warner, 13
* Dolphins: LB Nick Buoniconti, 85
* Vikings: WR Randy Moss, 84
* Patriots: WR, Stanley Morgan, 86
* Saints: QB Drew Brees, 9
* Giants: LB Harry Carson, 53
* Jets: DE Mark Gastineau, 99
* Eagles: WR Harold Carmichael, 17
* Steelers: QB Terry Bradshaw, 12
* Seahawks: RB Shaun Alexander, 37
* Buccaneers: S John Lynch, 47
* Titans/Oilers: LB Robert Brazile, 52
* Commanders: RB John Riggins, 44