Buffalo Bills running back Frank Gore escapes Philadelphia Eagles defenders during the 2019 season.
Frank Gore will spend his 16th NFL season as a New York Jet.
Gore’s agent Drew Rosenhaus announced the deal on Tuesday, seeing Gore join his fifth NFL team since coming into the league in 2005 with the San Francisco 49ers as a third-round draft pick.
The #Jets are signing potential future Hall of Fame RB Frank Gore to a 1-year deal, per @RosenhausSports.
Gore, who many consider to be a future Hall of Famer, is currently third on the all-time career rushing yards list with 15,347 yards behind Emmitt Smith (18355) and Walter Payton (16726.)
The Coral Gables, Florida native comes into a running back group that features Le’Veon Bell, Josh Adams, Kenneth Dixon and La’Mical Perine. Bell led the Jets backfield in 2019 with 789 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Tour of the AFC East
Gore’s arrival in New Jersey is a reunion between the former Miami Hurricane and Jets head coach Adam Gase, who worked with Gore in 2018 as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins.
In his sole season in Miami, Gore ran for 722 yards and started 14 games as the Dolphins finished 7-9 and Gase was fired by the organization.
While Gase went to the Jets to try his hand with another AFC East team, so did Gore, spending the 2019 season with the Buffalo Bills. Gore started eight games for the Bills and ran for 599 rushing yards, his 15th consecutive season with 500-plus rushing yards. He is the only NFL player to ever accomplish this feat.
The New England Patriots as the only team in the AFC East that Gore has not played for. In Gore’s two seasons in the division, his 1,321 rushing yards ranked second among AFC East RBs over that time, trailing Patriot RB Sony Michel’s rushing yards 1,852.
Rushing Legend
Besides being third in all-time rushing yards, Gore also ranks 21st in career rushing touchdowns with 79, despite only having one season (2009) where he reached double-digit touchdowns, scoring 10 times for the 49ers.
Gore is also the 49ers’ all-time rushing leader, totaling 11,073 rushing yards in his 10 seasons in the Bay Area. His 64 rushing touchdowns is also the franchise record.
The 36-year-old has had nine different seasons in which he cracked the 1,000-yard barrier, eight of which came with the 49ers and the other coming in 2016 with the Indianapolis Colts.
Gore has made the Pro Bowl five times, in 2006, 2009 and from 2011-2013. He has a singular All-Pro team selection, making the second-team in 2006 when he amassed 1,695 yards with San Francisco.
Reactions Around the League
One reason Gore’s return for a 16th NFL season is a landmark moment is because he is the only running back to ever play more than 15 seasons, and there’s other milestones he could reach in 2020 as well.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter highlights Gore’s age and path to the NFL Hall of Fame.
Field Yates mentions a couple of Gore’s NFL records while showing how close Gore is to catching Walter Payton on the all-time rushing list.
Frank Gore:
* 15 straight seasons with 500+ rushing yards (NFL record)
* 15 straight seasons with 125+ rushing attempts (NFL record)
* Needs 1,380 rushing yards to move into second on the NFL’s all-time rushing list.
Frank Gore forever.
Matt Barr brings up the impressive fact that Gore is just the third running back to ever play in the NFL for 16 years, and could overtake Lorenzo Neal and Tony Richardson for the NFL record for most games played as an offensive back.
Adam Rank over at NFL Network keeps his take on Gore’s legacy simple and sweet.
Frank Gore is a Hall of Famer.
Kansas City Star writer drops a staggering fact about Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes’ age.
Frank Gore rushed for 1,695 yards when Patrick Mahomes was in fifth grade.
ESPN’s Trey Wingo points out that Gore’s son is a freshman at Southern Miss this upcoming season.
Frank Gore signs with the Jets. Frank Gore Jr enters his freshman year at Southern Miss in the fall. We’re 3 years away from the Frank Gores’ playing in the NFL at the same time. Do not bet against Frank Gore
ESPN NFL reporter Rich Cimini brings up an interesting fact about Gore’s arrival with the Jets.
The #Jets can now say they’ve had three of the top 7 all-time leading rushers:
3. Frank Gore — 15,347 yards
6. Curtis Martin — 14,101
7. LaDainian Tomlinson — 13,684
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Evan Reier is a sportswriter covering the San Francisco 49ers for Heavy.com and local sports for the Montana Standard in Butte, MT. Reach out to him on Twitter at @evanreier and join our 49ers community at Heavy on 49ers on Facebook.