NFL legend Roger Craig made a poignant announcement during his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction speech, revealing that he has been diagnosed with vascular dementia.
“Today, there’s another chapter I want to share,” Craig, 66, said in prerecorded comments on Saturday, August 8. “I have been diagnosed with vascular dementia that my doctors think may be related, at least in part, due to the concussions I experienced during my career.”
Craig was seated on stage as his prerecorded comments were played for the star-studded audience at Tom Benson Stadium in Canton, Ohio, during the annual ceremony. He was formally inducted into the Hall of Fame by former teammate and childhood friend, Jamie Williams, earlier in the evening.
Per the Alzheimer’s Association, vascular dementia is characterized by “a decline in thinking skills caused by conditions that block or reduce blood flow to various regions of the brain, depriving them of oxygen and nutrients.” Common symptoms include disorientation, confusion and memory loss, difficulty walking and numbness or paralysis on one side of the body. (There is currently no cure for vascular dementia.)
“The changes were gradual,” Craig said of his own symptoms. “At first, they were easy to dismiss as normal aging. Over time, my family noticed, too.”
During his speech, Craig openly grappled with the possibility that the very sport that made him a household name may have also contributed to his declining health.
“Two things could be true. Football gave me opportunities beyond anything I can imagine. It helped shape the man I became,” he said. “At the same time, we know more today about brain health than when I played. I hope sharing my story encourages people to pay attention to their health and seek help when something doesn’t feel right.”
Craig stressed that he still has much more he wants to accomplish in life because “this diagnosis doesn’t define me.”
“I am still Roger Craig. I am still a father, still a husband, a teammate, a friend and someone who loves this game and the people who brought it to my life. If sharing my story helps even one family or one former player, then it’s worth it,” he said. “Football gave me everything: opportunity, discipline, lifelong friends and the platform to grow as a man. This honor belongs to my parents who started it all.”
Craig was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday as part of the seniors category. His fellow inductees this year included Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri.
The running back made his NFL debut for the San Francisco 49ers in 1983 and remained with the team through 1990, during which time he was named the Associated Press‘ NFL Offensive Player of the Year for 1988. The three-time Super Bowl champion later played with the Los Angeles Raiders and Minnesota Vikings before retiring in 1993.
“What means the most is knowing [I] helped expand what people thought a running back could be. None of that happens without great teammates,” Craig said during his induction speech. “What made those 49ers teams special: We weren’t selfish. We didn’t care who got the credit. We cared about winning.”
In December 1985, Craig made history as the first NFL player to have 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season.
Roger tied the knot with college sweetheart Vernessia Craig in 1983. They share five children.
