Roger Craig, Ken Anderson advance for Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026
San Francisco 49ers Roger Craig (33) heads for the end zone and first quarter touchdown during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Raiders at the Coliseum in Los Angeles, Sunday, Sept. 22, 1985. Credit: AP/Doug Pizac
Versatile running back Roger Craig, former MVP Ken Anderson and special teams standout Steve Tasker are among the 52 players who advanced to the next stage for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 in the seniors category.
The seniors screening committee reduced the list down from 162 original nominees of players who last could have appeared in a professional football game in the 2000 season.
A blue-ribbon committee will cut down the list in three more stages until there are three finalists who will advance to voting conducted before the Super Bowl in February.
The nominees include three players who were finalists the past two years but didn’t get in, with linebacker Maxie Baughan and offensive lineman Jim Tyrer looking to be finalists for the second straight year and receiver Art Powell looking to get back to this stage after reaching it in 2024.
Anderson was a four-time Pro Bowler for Cincinnati and won the MVP in 1981 when he helped the Bengals reach their first Super Bowl before losing to San Francisco. When Anderson retired after the 1986 season he ranked sixth all time with 32,838 yards passing and 13th with 197 TD passes.
Craig was a key part of San Francisco’s dynasty in the 1980s with his ability as a physical runner and as a receiver out of the backfield. Craig was the first player ever to have 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in the same season in 1985, and led the NFL with 2,036 yards from scrimmage in 1988 when he helped the 49ers win the Super Bowl.
Craig was also part of the title-winning teams in San Francisco in the 1984 and 1989 seasons. His 410 yards from scrimmage in those Super Bowl wins are the third-most ever behind only Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Franco Harris.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson scrambles out of the pocket and out of the grasp of a Houston Oiler defender during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sept. 13, 1982. Credit: AP/Ed Reinke
Tasker was widely considered to be one of the best special teams players ever, excelling on coverage of punts and kicks and recording seven blocked kicks and catching nine TD passes as a receiver on offense. Tasker helped Buffalo win four straight AFC title games before losing in the Super Bowl and made seven Pro Bowls in his 13-year career.
The nominees
Quarterbacks: Ken Anderson, Charlie Conerly, Roman Gabriel, Jack Kemp, Don Meredith.
Running backs: Ottis Anderson, Larry Brown, Roger Craig, Chuck Foreman, Cecil Isbell, Paul “Tank” Younger.
Wide receivers and tight ends: Mark Clayton, Isaac Curtis, Lavvie Dilweg, Henry Ellard, Harold Jackson, Billy “White Shoes” Johnson, Stanley Morgan, Art Powell, Otis Taylor.
Buffalo Bills' Steve Tasker carries the ball for a 40-yard gain during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Steelers in Pittsburgh, Saturday Jan. 6, 1996. Credit: AP/Gene J. Puskar
Offensive linemen: Jay Hilgenberg, Chris Hinton, Joe Jacoby, Mike Kenn, Bob Kuechenberg, Marvin Powell, Dick Schafrath, Jerry Sisemore, Walt Sweeney, Jim Tyrer, Al Wistert.
Defensive linemen: L.C. Greenwood, Ed “Too Tall” Jones, Jim Marshall, Harvey Martin.
Linebackers: Carl Banks, Maxie Baughan, Mike Curtis, Larry Grantham, Lee Roy Jordan, Clay Matthews Jr., Matt Millen, Tommy Nobis.
Defensive backs: Dick Anderson, Bobby Boyd, Pat Fischer, Lester Hayes, Albert Lewis, Eddie Meador, Lemar Parrish, Everson Walls.
Special teams: Steve Tasker.
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