Everything great ends. Frank Gore calls it a career in the National Football league. The Future Hall of Famer played sixteen seasons. Gore played for the 49ers (2005-14), Colts (2015-17), Dolphins (2018), Bills (2019), and Jets (2020). Gore is third all-time leading rusher behind Hall of Famers Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton. Gore will sign a one-day contract to retire as a 49er.
The 49ers drafted Gore in 2005, playing ten seasons with the franchise. It is always something different when you play most of your career for the team that drafted you. Gore is a five-time Pro Bowler and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame all-time 2010’s team. In his career, he was an every down back. Gore has rushed the ball 3,735 times for 16,000 yards with eighty-one career touchdowns.
Gore exceeded expectations for a third-round pick. He is no doubt a first-ballot Hall of Famer. But what about Gore’s legacy? There are not many teams left in the NFL that rely on one running back to carry the ball twenty-five plus times per game. Before stepping away, Gore was one of the last run-it between the tackles, every-down backs left. That style was part of Gore’s claim to fame during his prime playing days with the Niners. Tennessee Titans Derrick Henry has a similar nasty and physical running but a different body type.
Most people would have never thought that Frank Gore would finish his career being third all-time in rushing yards behind two of the greatest running backs in NFL history by the numbers. Gore has also recorded 3,985 receiving yards and eighteen touchdowns. Now he hopes to work in the 49er’s front office.
“I love looking at talent. I love evaluating talent, and I love ball.” Gore said. “And the 49ers know that I know football players and what it takes to be a football player.”
Unfortunately for Gore, he came along during the same time as guys like Peterson, LaDainian Tomlinson, and Marshawn Lynch. Gore was never in the national spotlight as his peers. Frank was one of the more durable running backs over the last 20 years. In 16 years, Gore only had one where he played in fewer than fourteen games, and that season (2010), he suited up for eleven.
When people think of Frank Gore, they should think of his longevity and how he found ways to be effective even when he got older, and his athleticism diminished to a degree. His legacy will live forever, and the NFL missed seeing the all-time great and whatever his next chapter is in life. We hope he succeeds and inspires people as he did on the football field.
Gore is set to leave one sport for another. He’s set to make his professional boxing debut on May 14 in Jackson, Mississippi on a Gamebred Promotions card. An opponent is yet to be announced for Gore, who is 38, but will turn 39 on fight night, as it also happens to be his birthday. The event will be streamed on FITE.
