NFL star uses Hall of Fame speech to announce he has dementia

Former San Francisco 49ers running back Roger Craig announced during his induction speech to the Pro Football Hall of Fame that he suffers from vascular dementia, likely due to the concussions he sustained during his playing career. The changes in his cognitive abilities were gradual, initially dismissed as part of normal aging but later noticed by his family.

Craig spoke in a pre-recorded video message, expressing his hope that sharing his diagnosis would encourage others to seek early help for brain issues. He emphasized that the diagnosis does not define him, and he remains the same person: a father, husband, teammate, and friend who loves the game of football. Craig credited his parents for starting his journey and noted that the honor belongs to them, as well as to the many Hall of Famers who stood and hugged him at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.