Frank Gore won the first-ever NFL game he played in back in 2005, but victories were scarce in the early stages of the running back’s career.
Gore’s 49ers totaled just 37 wins in his first six seasons. It wasn’t until 2011 that Gore enjoyed his first winning campaign and playoff appearance. A year later, he got a taste of the Super Bowl.
Gore was still in his 20s during San Francisco’s rock bottom years and eventual ascension to the top of the NFC West. While his team struggled at first, he was laying the groundwork for a Hall of Fame career. He knew there would be better days ahead.
“I was younger in San Fran and I always felt like, ‘I got time, I got time,'” Gore said Sunday, per ESPN. “Now, I don’t know if I’m going to play next year and … I don’t know.”
Gore, now 37 and in his 16th season, said that after the Jets fell to 0-10 on the season with a six-point loss to the Chargers. The potential for an 0-16 season looms over Gang Green, as does the possibility that Gore may not win a single game in what could be the final season of an otherwise illustrious career.
“You don’t want to go 0-16, especially if this is my last year,” said Gore, who scored his first touchdown as a Jet in the Week 11 loss. “I can’t go out like that.
“Hopefully, we can get one. And I can’t wait until we get it. I’ll be so happy. If it is my last year, I can’t say I’m going out 0-16.”
The uncertainty surrounding Gore’s future stems from a combination of his age and production. The five-time Pro Bowler has scored touchdowns in three different decades and is third on the all-time rushing list, but he is averaging just 3.6 yards per carry for the second straight season. That’s after his best day as a Jet; he ran for a season-high 61 yards in addition to his touchdown against Los Angeles.
All in all, Gore has 447 yards on 123 attempts with New York. He’s running behind a porous line and was forced to take on a bigger role than expected with the departure of Le’Veon Bell, but it’s also clear that he’s lost several steps as he gets closer to age 40.
That’s only natural, as would be the lack of interest in a player Gore’s age. He is aware of this as he thinks about his future.
“I’ve got to be real with myself, how teams think about my age,” Gore, who will be a free agent this offseason, said. “They might not want a 38-year-old running back on the team.
“It’s tough because I don’t know about next year.”