Tag: Frank Gore

Florida High School Football: 5 of the greatest running backs in state history

The NFL’s all-time rushing leader has come out of Florida, as has the most physically-dominant runner of our time.

Texas has a strong claim as being the best state for producing all-time great running backs. Then again, Texas also has some quality competition for that title. The NFL’s all-time rushing leader has come out of Florida, as has the most physically-dominant runner of our time.

Here are five of the greatest running backs ever to come through Florida.

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Frank Gore Jr.’s delightful auntie crashed his interview after a record-breaking bowl performance for Southern Miss

Gore scored by land and air. If he had a boat, he might’ve scored by sea too.

Southern Miss beat Rice 38-24 on Saturday night in the Lending Tree Bowl, and Frank Gore Jr. was the star of the show.

Gore set the single-game Southern Miss rushing record and – perhaps even more impressively – the single-game rushing record in any FBS bowl game with 329 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 21 carries. And it was the most rushing yards any by any FBS player in a game this season, surpassing the performance of Pitt’s Israel Abanikanda against Virginia Tech.

After the game, cameras naturally went toward him.

But for a brief moment, Gore had his limelight stolen away by… his auntie?

Yes, his overly enthusiastic auntie who was on the field celebrating his big game. In a hilarious moment, Gore had to politely tell her to calm down so he could finish his interview.

Gore – and his auntie – had plenty of reasons to be happy.

The victory was the first for Southern Miss in a bowl game since 2016, and it’s the first time since 2019 that it finished the season with a winning record.

And Gore didn’t just rewrite the record book for rushing. He also threw an 18-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. It was the third touchdown pass he had thrown this season and the seventh of his career.

Indeed, Gore did it all. He averaged 15.7 yards per carry Saturday night and completed two of three passes. He scored by land and air. If he had a boat, he might’ve scored by sea too.

Perhaps his most impressive run of the night was a 64-yard scamper he broke off for a score in the second quarter.

“We know how impressive Frank is,” Rice coach Mike Bloomgren said after the game. “What a great athlete, what a great runner he is. I thought he was phenomenal.”

This was Gore’s third season of college football, and he finished it with 1,382 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground – his best season so far. And we can’t wait to see what he does in Year Four. If the transfer portal is in his future, maybe he can finally play for Lane Kiffin. If not, we’ll enjoy watching him rip apart Sun Belt defenses.

And yes, reader, it’s OK to feel old reading about the athletic accomplishments of Frank Gore Jr., the son of – well, you know.

Gore Jr. has something to brag about the next time he sees his dad though. Gore Sr.’s best single game rushing performance in college or the pros was 212 yards against the Seahawks in 2006.

Feature image courtesy of ESPN.

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Frank Gore officially announces retirement from NFL

Frank Gore has officially called it a career.

At 39 years old, former Indianapolis Colts running back Frank Gore has announced his retirement and signed a one-day contract to do so with the San Francisco 49ers.

Gore spent 16 seasons in the NFL and accumulated exactly 16,000 rushing yards during his career. The first 10 of those seasons were spent with the 49ers so it only makes sense that he officially retires with the team he was drafted by.

Gore’s best season with the Colts came during the 2016 season when he took 263 carries for 1,025 rushing yards and four touchdowns. After the 2017 season, Gore signed with the Miami Dolphins (2018), Buffalo Bills (2019) and New York Jets (2020).

While Gore signed a one-year deal with the 49ers on his official retirement day, the NFL isn’t the same as MLB where a player selects a team to retire with. If and when—the latter being the better question—Gore is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he will go in as a member of the 49ers, Colts, Dolphins, Bills and Jets.

During his three seasons with the Colts, Gore started all 48 games recording 784 carries for 2,953 and 13 rushing touchdowns.

Gore’s 16,000 career rushing yards are third-most all-time so there is a more than solid chance he gets into Canton.

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Frank Gore eligible for Hall of Fame in 2026

Frank Gore’s Hall of Fame eligibility begins in 2026. #49ers

Frank Gore on Thursday officially announced his retirement from the NFL. After 16 years in the NFL that led to him leading all running backs in history games played, and landing at No. 3 on the all-time rushing list, Gore’s five-year wait for the Hall of Fame begins. He’ll be eligible in 2026.

Despite not playing in 2021, Gore’s Hall of Fame clock didn’t begin because he was still technically a free agent. His goal even late in the year was to sign with a club to help them win a Super Bowl. The Hall of Fame clock doesn’t start until retirement though, so Gore’s countdown is officially on now that he’s hung up his pads.

The five-year wait includes the upcoming 2022 campaign. By August of 2026 he’ll be eligible, although the announcement would come by February of that year during Super Bowl weekend.

There’s some pushback to Gore’s candidacy that may trickle into the voting process and force him to wait beyond the first ballot, but his résumé as one of the most prolific runners in NFL history is undeniable. He’ll get in quickly if it’s not in his first year.

His wait for the 49ers Hall of Fame won’t be as arduous. The team announced he’ll go into the Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. 49ers Hall of Fame when they announced his retirement.

Players don’t go into the Pro Football Hall of Fame with a team the way they do in baseball, but there’s zero doubt about what colors Gore would wear in Canton if they did. He signed a one-day deal Thursday to officially retire as a member of the 49ers.

Former Bills RB, ageless wonder, Frank Gore retires from NFL

Former #Bills RB, ageless wonder, Frank Gore retires from NFL:

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Frank Gore has not played in the NFL since 2020, but that will officially go down as his final season.

The former running back and all-time ageless wonder retired from the league. In doing so, he signed a one-day contract to retire as a member of the San Francisco 49ers.

According to Niners Wire, the 39-year-old will also be inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame.

Gore spent the bulk of his NFL career with the 49ers, which spanned his first decade in the league.

Gore’s journey to the pros is often described as am inspirational one after he took the scenic route to it.

He suffered serious knee injuries in college at the University of Miami and any NFL career seemed in serious doubt for a time.

Instead, Gore proved doubters wrong and played in 241 games. That’s the most ever by a running back and that helped him put up 16,000 career-rushing yards, third-most in history.

Gore only spent one season in Buffalo in 2019. That year he appeared in all 16 games, notching 599 yards with two touchdowns while splitting carries with current Bills running back Devin Singletary.

One of the more memorable moments of Gore’s time with the Bills was when cameras caught him going out of his way to introduce another NFL legend, Adrian Peterson following a game. That was Singletary’s rookie season.

After leaving the 49ers, Gore went on the play three years with the Indianapolis Colts (2015-2017), a year with the Miami Dolphins (2018) and then rounded out his career with one last season with the New York Jets.

Gore was originally a third-round pick by San Francisco in 2004.

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Frank Gore officially retires, will be inducted into 49ers Hall of Fame

Frank Gore has officially retired, and the #49ers announced he’ll go into the Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame.

Frank Gore’s career is officially over. The 39-year-old running back signed a one-day deal with the 49ers on Thursday and announced his retirement from the NFL after 16 seasons.

San Francisco also announced Gore will be honored this season with a spot in the Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame.

“We are thrilled to induct Frank Gore into the Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame, his rightful place among our all-time greats,” said 49ers CEO Jed York said in a statement. “Frank had to overcome many challenges upon entering the NFL and now leaves the game not only as one of the best backs in NFL history, but one of the best football players ever. Frank’s 16-year NFL career is a testament to his durability, having played in more games than any other running back in league history. His grit, toughness and commitment to greatness earned him the respect of his coaches, teammates and opponents. We knew this day would come when Frank would retire a 49er and we look forward to The Faithful celebrating his induction into the 49ers Hall of Fame in Levi’s Stadium this upcoming season.”

Gore was selected in the third round of the 2005 draft by San Francisco after a college career at the University of Miami that was mired in knee injuries. He overcame those injuries to quickly carve out a spot in the 49ers’ backfield. After a rookie season where he rushed for 608 yards and three touchdowns on 127 carries, he took over the starting job in Year 2 and earned his first of five Pro Bowl nods while rushing for 1,695 yards and eight touchdowns.

He wound up rushing for a franchise-record 11,073 yards during his 10 seasons with the 49ers. Gore finished his career with exactly 16,000 rushing yards – the third-most all-time – in 16 seasons.

“One of the very first things I told the 49ers organization when they drafted me in 2005 was that they got the right guy,” Gore said in a statement released by the team. “I knew early on that I wouldn’t let my college career define me in regards to injuries, and that I would have to outwork a lot of people to get to where I wanted to be. After 10 years in San Francisco and 16 years in the NFL, I can confidently say that I put all I had into the game of football. Football was and is everything to me. From meetings and film study to practice and just being in the locker room, all of it meant the world to me. I am happy to officially close this chapter of my life and proud of what I was able to accomplish and the legacy I leave behind.

“I want to thank my entire family who was with me the entire way. I would also like to thank Denise and Dr. York, Jed York and each coach I was fortunate enough to play for. To my teammates, the ones I sweat and strained with every game, thank you for continuing to push me to want more and not settle for the status quo. Being inducted into the 49ers Hall of Fame, one of the most historic franchises in all of sports, is something that is hard to put into words. This organization will always be a part of me, one that I will forever associate myself with. I will talk about San Francisco as ‘we’ and ‘us’ for the rest of my life, and will support the 49ers and The Faithful in every way possible.”

Gore’s career landed him a spot in the 49ers’ Hall of Fame, and now the wait begins to see when he’ll be enshrined among the NFL’s greats at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

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Yes, of course Frank Gore belongs in the NFL Hall of Fame

This should (not) surprise you!

Frank Gore, sadly, will not play in the NFL until the heat death of the universe. The 39-year-old running back is retiring, after signing a one-day contract with San Francisco, the 49ers announced Thursday.

That marks the official end of a stunning career. In a league where running backs have the shortest careers of any offensive or defensive position, Gore was a fixture on Sundays for 16 years. He averaged more than 700 rushing yards per season after he turned 34. He played more regular season games than any modern era running back and ran for at least 100 yards in 47 of them.

His retirement, especially in the center of the NFL’s offseason, will spark the same debate every longtime veteran prompts. Is he bound for the NFL Hall of Fame?

Yes.

 

…

 

Oh I’m sorry, y’all need more? I get it. If you’d only watched the last five years of Frank Gore, you may only know him as a workhorse veteran platoon back who dabbled (poorly) in boxing and narrowly missed the opportunity to share a backfield with his own son. But prime Frank Gore — a period that lasted roughly 10 full years! — was a terrifying blend of speed, power and durability that made him an asset wherever he went.

Gore ran for 1,695 yards in his second season as a pro, averaging 5.4 yards per carry along the way. This would have been notable anywhere, but was even more so considering his quarterback was early-career Alex Smith, who had 16 games and failed to throw for more than 2,900 yards or complete more than 59 percent of his passes that year. Defenses knew where the ball was going and *still* couldn’t contain Gore.

Consider his 2012 run through the postseason, where he ran for 319 yards and four touchdowns in three games, chewing up the Packers, Falcons and Ravens along the way. The 49ers went 33-9 when Gore ran for triple digits in his decade with the team. They were 43-82-1 when he didn’t. In 2019, at age 36, he went up against the New England Patriots’ top-ranked defense and ran for 109 yards on 17 carries.

Then there’s the sheer scale of his career statistics.

Gore ranks third in total NFL carries with 3,735. Every other player in the top 15 is either in the Hall of Fame or will be (Adrian Peterson). Gore ranks third in total NFL rushing yards with 16,000. Every other player in the top 15 is either in the Hall of Fame or will be. Gore is tied for 19th in all-time rushing touchdowns. Sixteen of the top-21 tailbacks in that category are either in the Hall of Fame or will be.

Gore had at least 1,000 yards in eight seasons as a 49er. He left the franchise after 2014, and it hasn’t had a 1,000-yard rusher since (Gore hit that mark once more, aged 33, with the Indianapolis Colts).

This is all to say he was a ridiculous NFL running back who burned brightly for a long time, then continued to shine well past his supernova date. Players like him are outliers in a league that grinds athletic runners down to a nub and sends them into retirement before their 30th birthdays. Even as his numbers dipped in his late-30s, Gore continued to churn forward, averaging at least 2.0 yards after contact in his final two seasons with the Bills and Jets, respectively.

Frank Gore was a football robot wrapped in convincing enough skin to fool Roger Goodell. He was a testament to machine learning, utilizing his concussive power when his speed began to fail and reveling in the debris he left behind. He made the league better by being in it, first by lighting defenses on fire and later by proving Dad Strength could be enough to carry an offense in stretches.

Happy trails, Frank. See you in Canton in about four, maybe five years.

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Frank Gore to retire as a San Francisco 49er

Veteran running back Frank Gore will sign a one-day contract to retire as a San Francisco 49er.

Veteran running back Frank Gore is signing a one-day contract so he can retire as a member of the San Francisco 49ers.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter provided the news on social media Thursday afternoon:

As noted, Gore retires as the third all-time leading rusher in NFL history. His lengthy NFL career spanned 16 seasons and five different NFL teams. He was drafted in the third round of the 2005 NFL draft by the 49ers, and spent the first decade of his NFL career with San Francisco.

His longevity in the league has become something of NFL lore. Gore suffered two different knee injuries while at the University of Miami, but still went on to enjoy a long career in the league. He hangs up his cleats having rushed for 16,000 yards and 81 touchdowns. His career-best year cam back in 2006, when he ran for 1,695 yards and eight touchdowns with the 49ers.

As Schefter also alluded to? His next stop after San Francisco is likely Canton, Ohio.

Report: Frank Gore to sign 1-day contract with 49ers

Per @CamInman, Frank Gore will get his wish and sign a ceremonial one-day contract with the #49ers on Thursday.

Frank Gore will get his wish. The long-time 49ers running back wanted to retire as a member of the 49ers, and he’ll do so Thursday by signing a ceremonial one-day contract per the Bay Area News Group’s Cam Inman.

Gore announced in April his intentions to ink the one-day pact that would officially make him a 49er one final time before he hangs up his pads for good. He went unsigned in 2021 and didn’t receive any offers during the 2022 offseason.

There’s a little bit of gymnastics involved since teams are only allowed to carry 90 players on their offseason rosters. Even one-day contracts count toward that total, so the 49ers will have to clear a roster spot before adding Gore for the day.

Gore last suited up for the Jets in 2020. That season he played in 15 games with 14 starts. He rushed for 653 yards and two touchdowns on 187 carries. For his career he finishes third all-time with exactly 16,000 rushing yards in 16 seasons.

His time with the 49ers’ organization is very likely to continue in some capacity though. He’s expressed a desire to join the front office and team CEO Jed York was amenable to the idea.

Gore originally joined the 49ers as a third-round pick in the 2005 draft. He spent the first 10 seasons in San Francisco where he cranked out a franchise record 11,073 rushing yards to go along with 64 rushing touchdowns in 148 games.

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