Frank Gore

Frank Gore Joins 49ers’ Front Office

Retired running back Frank Gore has joined the 49ers’ front office. Gore recently posted an Instagram picture of himself signing an agreement with the club (via Armando Salguero of Outkick.com on Twitter).

Gore, a third-round pick of the 49ers in 2005, announced his retirement last year. During his Bay Area tenure, the Miami (FL) alum established himself as one of the best, and most consistent, backs in the league. He racked up all five of his Pro Bowl nominations during that stretch, and once he assumed the starting role in 2006, he averaged over 1,160 yards per season on a robust 4.5 yards-per-carry average.

The 49ers will employ Gore as a personnel advisor, the team announced. Gore will serve as a special advisor to GM John Lynch along with the team’s football ops department.

The 40-year-old is the franchise’s all-time leading rusher by a wide margin, and though his career also included stints with the Colts, Dolphins, Bills, and Jets, he will be best-remembered for his time with the Niners. He signed a one-day contract to officially end his playing days as a member of the team, and it stands to reason that he would begin his front office endeavors with San Francisco. In his retirement announcment, he indicated that was his goal.

“I told [49ers CEO] Jed York that I always wanted to be a Niner, so we’re working on [the one-day contract] right now, and then we’re going to also sit down with me and my agent to talk about me working in the front office,” Gore said at the time. “I love looking at talent, and I love evaluating talent, and I love ball.”

Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com says that Gore has been with the team since spring as he seeks to acclimate himself to his new role, and that he sat in on pre-draft meetings. He will work with GM John Lynch, assistant GM Adam Peters, and their staff on player evaluation.

“He’ll go out on the road with some of our road scouts to make school calls,” Lynch said. “He is a smart football mind, and we want to tap into it and he wants to learn from us, so it’s a good thing for everyone involved.”

Gore finished his career with exacrly 16,000 rushing yards, which positions him behind only Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton on the all-time list.

Frank Gore To Retire

Ageless running back Frank Gore has decided to call it a career. In an interview on TheSFNiners podcast (video link), Gore said that, within the next several months, he will sign a one-day contract with the 49ers and officially announce his retirement.

San Francisco selected Gore in the third round of the 2005 draft, and though he appeared in 14 games in his rookie campaign, he started just one, operating as part of an RB tandem with Kevan Barlow. Prior to the 2006 season, the Niners traded Barlow to the Jets, thereby clearing the way for Gore to take over as a full-time starter, a role he held for nine seasons in the Bay Area.

During that time, the Miami product established himself as one of the best, and most consistent, backs in the league. He racked up all five of his Pro Bowl nominations, and he averaged over 1,160 yards per season on a robust 4.5 yards-per-carry average. That stretch included eight seasons of 1,000+ yards, and the only year in which he did not hit that benchmark was 2010, when he appeared in just 11 games due to a hip injury.

Gore, who will turn 39 in May, was also an effective receiver out of the backfield, particularly in the early days of his career. From 2006-10, he averaged 51 catches and just over 430 receiving yards per season, which, when added to his rushing output, made him a true dual threat. The 2006 season was especially productive, as he generated 2,180 all-purpose yards and nine total TDs. Though he was never a prolific touchdown producer — just one season of 10 or more combined rushing and receiving scores — he did find paydirt an even 100 times in his regular season career (81 on the ground, 18 through the air, and one fumble recovery).

After Gore’s tremendous run with the 49ers — he is now the franchise’s all-team leading rusher by a wide margin — he began the second chapter of his career by signing a three-year, $12MM deal with the Colts in March 2015. He was still productive during his three years in Indianapolis, as he did not miss a game and averaged nearly 1,000 rushing yards per season to go along with 263 rushing yards per year, but he did not post a YPC rate above 3.9.

Gore ended his career with a tour of the AFC East, hooking on with the Dolphins in 2018, the Bills in 2019, and the Jets in 2020. The 2018 season in Miami was a bit of a throwback, as he played in 14 games (all starts) and rushed for 722 yards on 156 totes, good for a 4.6 YPC average.

Despite all of his individual successes, Gore was not fortunate enough to play for many championship contenders. In 16 NFL seasons, he suited up for just four playoff outfits (the 49ers from 2011-13 and the Bills in 2019). He did get to participate in Super Bowl XLVII with San Francisco at the end of the 2012 season, but the Niners came out on the losing end of that contest. Gore at least held up his end of the bargain, rushing for 319 yards and four TDs on 63 carries in the team’s three-game postseason run.

In all, Gore rushed for exactly 16,000 yards in the regular season, which gives him a beautifully round 1,000 yards/season average and positions him behind only Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton on the all-time list. He supported that total with a 4.3 YPC mark, thereby demonstrating that his production was not driven just by his remarkable longevity.

Per Spotrac, Gore earned over $63MM in his playing career, and he indicated on the podcast that he hopes to move into a front office role. He said, “I told [49ers CEO] Jed York that I always wanted to be a Niner, so we’re working on [the one-day contract] right now, and then we’re going to also sit down with me and my agent to talk about me working in the front office. I love looking at talent, and I love evaluating talent, and I love ball.”

We here at PFR congratulate Gore on a terrific career — which may ultimately end with a Hall of Fame bust in Canton — and wish him all the best in his front office endeavors.

Frank Gore Open To Joining Contender

Frank Gore has slid off the NFL radar for a bit, seeing the Titans go with Adrian Peterson to help fill their Derrick Henry void. And the 16-year veteran is preparing for a boxing foray.

Set to fight former NBA veteran Deron Williams on the undercard of the latest boxing event headlined by YouTube stars — a card set for Dec. 18 in Tampa — Gore remains open to a return to the NFL. The future Hall of Fame running back said during a prefight press conference he would consider ditching his boxing plans if a team needed him. “I might say eff it and go with them,” Gore said of potentially scrapping the Williams fight to play a 17th season.

Gore, 38, spent the 2019 season with a contending team, helping the Bills to the playoffs. Otherwise, he spent the post-San Francisco portion of his career helping less talented squads. Gore played for the Colts from 2015-17, caught on with the Dolphins in 2018 and played with the Jets last season.

Despite his advanced age, Gore made 14 starts for the Jets and rushed for 653 yards (albeit at a career-low 3.5 per carry) and currently has exactly 16,000 for his career. That total trails only Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton in NFL history. Gore was considering retirement in June but was also open to catching on elsewhere. He certainly has connections around the league and has proven incredibly durable, having missed just three games over the past 10 seasons.

A few teams have seen their starting back miss extensive time this season — the Bears, Chiefs, Eagles, Giants, Panthers and Titans among them — and the Browns have gone through multiple games without Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. Gore has not been connected to any vacancies just yet, but given his durability and historically long career for a running back, a late-season partnership should not be ruled out. The four-round Gore-Williams bout features a 215-pound weight limit; that is just above Gore’s listed playing weight.

Frank Gore Not Planning To Sign Until Training Camp; Retirement On Table

While a handful of running backs have lasted long enough to play a 16th season, none ventured into Year 17. Should a team sign Frank Gore, he would be in position to become the first.

The ageless back hinted earlier this year another season was on his radar. Now, it sounds like Gore definitely wants to come back. He does not, however, plan to sign until training camps begin.

I talked to a couple teams, but my agent told me not to put any teams’ names out there. I kind of want to wait to training camp,” Gore said during an interview with KNBR’s Murph and Mac. “I want to wait to see if it’s the right situation for me. But if I don’t like the situation, I’ll say forget it and I’ll retire.”

The 38-year-old back, who is currently training in Miami, no longer wants to join a team without Super Bowl aspirations. Although he was with the Bills when they ventured to the playoffs in 2019, Gore has played in one playoff game since he left San Francisco. Last season, Gore gained 653 yards for the 2-14 Jets.

An injury during camp could open the door for Gore to help a contending team. He certainly is no longer in prime form, but the 16-year veteran has proven to be a dependable runner (three missed games in the past 10 years) and has amassed at least 575 rushing yards in every season of his career. The Jets used Gore a bit more frequently than the Bills did, but he carved out steady roles in Buffalo and Miami, allowing him to climb into the No. 3 spot on the all-time rushing list.

I know that I can still play the game; I know I can help a team,” Gore said. “But it’s also got to be the right situation that I feel that I can be on a team that could go to the playoffs and get a chance to probably go to the Super Bowl.”

The 49ers, whom Gore indicated an interest in rejoining earlier this year, are already down Jeff Wilson for several months. But they drafted multiple backs, including Trey Sermon in Round 3. Gore said he remains interested in a San Francisco return but acknowledged the rookies may impede such a signing. A Dolphins reunion would make sense, even though Adam Gase is long gone from Miami, with the team not adding to its Myles GaskinMalcolm Brown depth chart until Round 7. The Seahawks also lost Carlos Hyde this offseason and have Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny coming off injury-limited seasons.

Multiple fullbacks (Tony Richardson, Lorenzo Neal) have played at age 38 in the modern NFL; Richardson made it to 39 in his 16th season (2010). Marcus Allen is the only pure running back to join Gore in playing a 16th season since the merger. At 16,000 rushing yards, Gore is 726 behind Walter Payton for second on the all-time list.

RB Frank Gore Would Welcome 49ers Reunion

Frank Gore seems to be keeping his options open as he considers whether to return for his 17th NFL season. However, the veteran running back made is abundantly clear that he’d delay his potential retirement if it meant he could return to the 49ers.

[RELATED: Frank Gore May Continue Playing]

“Oh, oh, I’d come back fast,” Gore said during an appearance on 95.7 The Game in San Francisco (via Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com). “Man, I’d love to wear that No. 21 jersey one more time. If that was to happen, that would definitely be my last year, if I could come back and sign with the 49ers. I respect Jed, I respect the York family, I respect Kyle, I feel like one of the best play callers in the game right now . . . You gotta tell Jed and Kyle, just bring me back.”

Gore, a third-round pick in the 2005 draft, spent the first 10 seasons of his career in San Francisco, earning five Pro Bowl appearance and a second-team All-Pro nod. Gore has a considerable lead on the team’s all-time rushing record (11,073), but he’s four touchdowns behind Joe Perry for the 49ers all-time rushing touchdown record.

Following a three-year stint with the Colts, Gore has spent the past three years touring the AFC East, spending time with the Dolphins, Bills, and Jets. The 37-year-old started 14 of his 15 games for New York in 2020, collecting 742 yards from scrimmage and a pair of offensive touchdowns.

Gore’s iron-man approach and veteran savviness would be welcomed by many squads, but the 49ers could theoretically have an open spot on their depth chart. Both Tevin Coleman and Jerick McKinnon are set to hit free agency, meaning the front office could be looking for depth behind leftovers Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson.

Jets’ Frank Gore May Continue Playing

Frank Gore isn’t quite ready to call it quits. The 37-year-old Jets running back says he hasn’t made a decision on whether or not to retire, as Dennis Waszak Jr. of the Associated Press tweets.

I still have fun playing football,” Gore said.

Gore capped his 16th year in the league with 16,000 career rushing yards. He finished the season on injured reserve, but he saw time in all 15 of the Jets’ previous games. It wasn’t a banner year for Gang Green, but Gore proved that he can still play. All in all, Gore notched 653 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground. He also managed six grabs for 89 receiving yards.

Gore has been an NFL ironman, in every sense of the word. The Week 17 absence marked Gore’s third missed game in the past ten years. He’s not as spry as he used to be — he averaged just 3.5 yards per tote in 2020 — but coaches around the league admire his toughness. The Jets and Raiders didn’t balk at his age last year, so it’s possible that they’ll reconnect with him this year.

Jets Place Frank Gore On IR

The Jets will finish their season without their leading rusher. Frank Gore‘s 16th NFL season will end on injured reserve.

While this does not mean much at this point in a 2-13 Jets season, this could certainly be significant for Gore. The NFL’s No. 3 all-time rushing leader — with exactly 16,000 rushing yards — is not signed through the 2021 season and has obviously enjoyed one of the longest careers in the history of the running back position.

Gore sustained a lung contusion in Week 16, which will end a season in which he logged more carries (187) than he has since 2017. The enduring veteran finished with 653 rushing yards and two touchdowns for the Jets, his fifth NFL team. Gore signed with New York to back up Le’Veon Bell, but Bell suffered an early-season injury and was cut soon after returning.

This will only be Gore’s third missed game in the past 10 seasons. He has managed to keep finding landing spots at a position when a third contract is out of the question for most. Gore, who now has a son playing college football, has not indicated if he will try to play at age 38 next season. It is also uncertain if a team would give him an opportunity to return, though the Raiders joined the Jets in pursuing him this offseason.

Gore returning in 2021 would give him an outside shot at a previously unthinkable accomplishment. The five-time Pro Bowler passed Barry Sanders on the career rushing list last season and is now 726 yards away from Walter Payton for second overall. Gore has not hit that yardage number since 2017, however.

Contract Details: Jets, Charlton, Gipson

Some assorted contract details to pass along:

  • Tashaun Gipson, S (Bears): One year. Deal is worth $1.05MM, including $550K in guaranteed money. Via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle on Twitter.
  • Johnathan Joseph, CB (Titans): One year. Deal is worth $2MM, including $1.5MM guaranteed. Additional $500K in “reachable incentives” and another $750K in standard incentives. Contract worth a maximum of $3.25MM. Via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com on Twitter and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network on Twitter.
  • Frank Gore, RB (Jets): One year. Deal is worth $1.05MM, including $200K guaranteed. Cap charge of $750K. Via Pelissero on Twitter and ESPN’s Rich Cimini on Twitter.
  • Jordan Jenkins, LB (Jets): One-year. Deal is worth $3.75MM. $3.25MM in guaranteed money, including $1.75MM signing bonus and $1.5MM base salary. $500K in roster bonuses, $250K in “likely to be earned” incentives. Via Cimini on Twitter.
  • Taco Charlton, DE (Chiefs): One year. Deal is worth $825K. Via Pelissero on Twitter.
  • Devontae Booker, RB (Raiders): Signed. One year deal worth veteran salary benefit ($887.5K cap charge). Includes $50K signing bonus. Via ESPN’s Field Yates on Twitter.

Raiders Made Offer To Frank Gore

Despite going into his age-37 season — which is nearly uncharted territory for running backs — Frank Gore received multiple offers in free agency.

Before deciding on the Jets, Gore indicated the Raiders made him an offer. Gore told NFL.com’s Jim Trotter he chose the Jets because of his relationship with Adam Gase. Gore worked with Gase with the 2008 49ers and with the Dolphins 10 years later. Gase tried to bring Gore with him to Jets last year as well.

I got an opportunity to get back with a good friend and a guy I respect, and I’m happy that he wanted me to be on his team,” Gore said of signing with Gase’s Jets. “And I’m happy to be around a guy who has done some great things in this league in Le’Veon Bell. That can motivate me. And I can help out the young kid that they just drafted, La’Mical Perine.”

While the Jets used a fourth-round pick on Perine, the Raiders did not draft a pure running back. They did add Kentucky gadget player Lynn Bowden Jr., who could be used in the backfield. The Raiders also extended Jalen Richard to serve as Josh Jacobs‘ backup, re-signed Rod Smith in March and, after Gore did not accept their offer, pivot to ex-Bronco Devontae Booker.

Gore would have provided the Raiders some insurance as a between-the-tackles runner, though Jacobs staying healthy would not leave him much room for work. Gore averaged a career-low 3.6 yards per carry last season but gained 599 rushing yards and obviously brings more experience than any other Raiders’ backups. The NFL’s No. 3 all-time leading rusher supplies more experience than nearly anyone who has ever played the position.

Jets Sign RB Frank Gore

Frank Gore‘s AFC East tour has taken him to New York. The veteran running back is signing a one-year deal with the Jets, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).

In New York, Gore will be reunited with head coach Adam Gase, who served as the Dolphins head coach during the running back’s stint in Miami. Gase was also an offensive assistant in San Francisco during Gore’s run with the 49ers.

In fact, ESPN’s Cameron Wolfe tweets that Gase tried to recruit the veteran to the Jets last offseason, so the coaching staff clear has a role for him. Gore will instantly become the second running back on the depth chart behind Le’Veon Bell. The Jets are also rostering the likes of Kenneth DixonJosh Adams, and fourth-round rookie La’Mical Perine.

After starting 14 games for the Dolphins in 2018, Gore signed with the Bills last offseason. He ended up seeing a significant role for Buffalo, starting eight of his 16 games while rushing for 599 yards and two scores. However, Gore averaged a career-worst 3.6 yards per carry, but he’s not far removed from his 4.6 YPC campaign in Miami.

Gore sits third on the all-time rushing list with 15,347 yards and third on the all-time carries list with 3,548. While his stats in Buffalo were underwhelming, the veteran isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. The soon-to-be 37 year old has only missed a pair of games since 2011.

Earlier this offseason, Gore indicated that he wanted to play in 2020 instead of hanging up his cleats. He hinted that a reunion in Miami could be a possibility, but he hadn’t been definitively connected to any teams over the past few months.