Sports
Roger Craig reveals dementia diagnosis in Hall of Fame speech, says head injuries played role
Roger Craig has been diagnosed with vascular dementia, the longtime San Francisco 49ers running back revealed Saturday during his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction speech. He said his doctors believe it could be related to the concussion he sustained in his playing career.
Craig, who turned 66 last month, attended his enshrinement in Canton, Ohio, but delivered his remarks in a prerecorded video.
“Two things can be true,” Craig said. “Football gave me opportunities beyond anything I could imagine. It helped shape the man I became. At the same time, we know more today about brain health than when I played, and I hope sharing my story encourages people to pay attention to their health and seek help when something doesn’t feel right.”
Roger Craig’s wait is over! @ProFootballHOF Enshrinement on ESPN/NFLN
Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN App pic.twitter.com/StN4MX1XY8— NFL (@NFL) August 8, 2026
During a weekend meant to celebrate football’s history with the induction of five Hall of Famers, Craig’s announcement was a sobering reminder of the sport’s dangers.
Craig was a staple during San Francisco’s dominant run through the 1980s, winning three Super Bowls alongside fellow Hall of Famers Joe Montana, Jerry Rice and Ronnie Lott, among others. In 1985, Craig became the first player in NFL history to top 1,000 yards both rushing and receiving in a single season. In 1988, Craig won Offensive Player of the Year while also earning his lone First-Team All-Pro nod.
Craig said that his intention for sharing his diagnosis is to help others who may be experiencing a similar situation.
“The changes were gradual,” he said. “At first, they were easy to dismiss as normal aging. Over time, my family noticed it, too. Ultimately, it led us to seek answers from my doctor.”
Craig finished his NFL career with one season with the Los Angeles Raiders in 1991 and a couple of years with the Minnesota Vikings. He retired from the NFL after the 1993 season and was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a senior candidate in his 28th year of eligibility.
“I want people to know this diagnosis doesn’t define me,” Craig said. “I am still Roger Craig. I am still a father, 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. Football gave me everything.”
In the past year, the families of several former NFL players, believing head injuries had played a role in their deaths, donated their brains to be examined for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). The results for Marshawn Kneeland, a Dallas Cowboy defensive end who died by suicide in November, and Steve McMichael, a Hall of Fame player for the Chicago Bears who died in April of complications from ALS, were publicly revealed and showed both had CTE, which often results from repeated hits to the head.
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Sports
Super League: Bradford Bulls 4-42 Warrington Wolves
Bradford: Aekins, Wynne, Holley, Fulton, Ryan, Dean, Atkin, Dean; Gardiner, Ackers, Gill, Sutton, Peposhi, Mellor.
Interchanges: Doyle, Scurr, Lewis, Leake
Warrington: Thewlis, Webster, Hopoate, King, Ashton, Irwin, Hayes, Byrne; Walker, Harrison, Holroyd, Bentley, Currie.
Interchanges: Sipley, Crowther, Philbin, Tanginda.
Referee: Aaron Moore.
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Sports
Youri Tielemans: Man Utd mifielder impresses on debut against PSG
Carrick has confirmed Marcus Rashford will rejoin the Manchester United squad for their trip to the Republic of Ireland.
Rashford, England team-mate Kobbie Mainoo and Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez are the final three players to return for United after the World Cup.
Although it was not expected Rashford would return to the club when he joined Barcelona on loan in July 2025, the La Liga champions failed to trigger a £26m option to buy the 28-year-old at the end of the season.
Despite interest elsewhere, there has been no deal, meaning Rashford will return to United for the first time since January 2025, when he moved to Aston Villa after falling out with former manager Ruben Amorim.
United are training at the plush Carton House hotel in Maynooth and have a friendly with Leeds United at Croke Park on 12 August.
They complete their pre-season programme against Amorim’s new club AC Milan in Wroclaw on 15 August, when Rashford could make his first United appearance since December 2024 if Carrick decides Wednesday is too soon.
A former team-mate, coach and manager of Rashford, it has been felt if anyone can patch up the relationship between club and player – which includes his number 10 shirt being given to Matheus Cunha who is also due to be on the trip after a minor injury ruled him out of the Gothenburg encounter – it is Carrick.
“I’ve played with him. I played in the game he made his debut, so we have a history,” Carrick said.
“We have got a full squad this week in Dublin. We fly straight there and have a few days where we have the whole group back together. Marcus is part of that, and Kobbie [Mainoo] and Lisandro [Martinez]. We look forward to seeing them.”
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Sports
St Mirren start strongly using relegation scare as ‘fuel’
Getting back to basics seems key, according to manager Craig McLeish, for last seasons’ League Cup winners. That and using the negative feeling that play-off last term brought as motivation.
“I’m still using that as fuel,” he told BBC Scotland. “I don’t want to be involved in that.
“We’ve got a massive journey ahead of us and we have to keep building. Six points out of six is a great start.
“It helps with the belief in each other. I’ve said to the boys I have confidence in them.
“Last season, we had two horrendous play off games – even the emotion about it, there were so much nerves when we stepped on the pitch.
“We have to be horrible to play against. Two clean sheets sets us up well for that.
“We want to be really good at the basics and not get bored of that.
“The running, energy and desire. We want to be fit and strong and relentless this season against whoever we play. We have to keep those standards really high. We did it last week and lived up to it again.”
It is a sentiment shared by new goalkeeping recruit Jacob Chapman, whose penalty save early in the second half laid the platform before Killian Phillips converted from the spot.
“Defenders throwing their bodies on the line; [Alex] Gogic throwing his head here and everywhere,” he told BBC Scotland.
“Even the attackers coming back and helping defend.
“It sets the tempo for the season. It doesn’t mean you’re going to win every game or even have a great season, but it definitely helps.
“And it’s what a great season looks like at the start. We’ve started well.
“A bit scrappy in some areas and we need to clean that out, but there was still some really nice football getting played in certain areas.”
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