The New York Jets have a habit of employing some of the greatest running backs of all-time.
After agreeing to a one-year deal with Frank Gore, the Jets have now had three of the top 10 all-time rushing leaders play for them. In addition to Gore, there was also Curtis Martin and LaDainian Tomlinson.
Gore is third on the all-time rushing list with 15,347 yards. Only Walter Payton (16,726) and Emmitt Smith (18,355) are ahead of him. Martin is sixth on the list with 14,101 yards and Tomlinson is seventh with 13,694 yards.
Adrian Peterson is the only other back in the top 20 that remains active like Gore.
Of the three with Jets ties, Martin spent the most time in New York. He signed with the Jets as a free agent in 1998 and was with the team through 2005. Martin is the Jets’ single-season rushing leader with 1,697 yards in 2004. He totaled 10,302 yards as a Jet and another 3,799 with the Patriots.
As for Tomlinson, he joined the Jets in 2010 after nine seasons with the Chargers. Tomlinson was solid in his first season in green, rushing for 914 yards and six touchdowns. However, he fell off in 2011, only rushing for 280 yards and one touchdown.
Now the 36-year-old Gore has a chance to prove he still has some juice left in his legs in New York. After 10 years with the 49ers, three with the Colts and one with the Dolphins, Gore rushed for 599 yards and two touchdowns with Buffalo last season as the No. 2 running back.
Gore will likely serve as the Jets’ No. 2 running back behind Le’Veon Bell. Adam Gase has already said that he wants to lessen the load for Bell, so Gore, who played for Gase in Miami, should see plenty of touches.
If Gore ends up playing more than one season in New York, he could make history with the Jets, as he’s 1,380 yards away from passing Payton for second place on the all-time rushing list. One of the NFL’s ageless wonders, it wouldn’t be that shocking to see Gore continue his career beyond the 2020 season.