A pair of former Huskers [were among the 52 senior NFL players who advanced in the voting process](https://www.profootballhof.com/news/2025/10/52-seniors-advance-in-voting-process-for-pro-football-hall-of-fame-s-class-of-2026/) for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2026 class.
Former Husker running back Roger Craig and former Nebraska defensive back Pat Fischer were included in the group of 52 released this week.
Craig played for the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Raiders and Minnesota Vikings during his 11-year NFL career. Craig was a four-time Pro Bowler and won three Super Bowls with the 49ers, becoming the first NFL player to have 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season.
At Nebraska, Craig played three season and rushed for 2,446 yards and 26 touchdowns. He was a second round pick by the 49ers in the 1983 NFL Draft. In 1985, he became the first player to score three touchdowns in a Super Bowl. In 1988 he was named the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year. In his three Super Bowl appearances, Craig carried 52 times for 198 yards and two touchdowns and added 20 catches for 212 yards and two receiving touchdowns.
Craig was joined on the list by Fischer, who was a cornerback for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1961 to 1967 and the Washington Redskins from 1968 to 1977. He was a two-time NFL All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowl selection during his career. Fischer ended his NFL career with 56 interceptions and played in 213 NFL games during his 17-year career.
At Nebraska, Fischer played safety, tailback and quarterback and was selected team captain in 1960.
Despite his relatively small size, Fischer was known for his physicality as a tackler and is a member of the Washington Commanders Ring of Fame. He passed away in 2024 at the age of 84.
The Seniors Blue-Ribbon Committee will meet to pare down the current list of players from 52 to 25, then again to nine, in balloting that will occur over the next several weeks. They then will meet virtually to discuss those nine Semifinalists and will choose three Finalists for the Class of 2026. To be considered this election cycle, each person in the Seniors category could have appeared in a professional football game no more recently than the 2000 season.
Five former Huskers have earned induction into the NFL Hall of Fame, most recently Will Shields and Mick Tingelhoff were inducted in the 2015 class.