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The NFL’s third all-time leading rusher will make one last stop with the San Francisco 49ers and call it a career.
Frank Gore revealed to Heidi Watney and Bovada that he is planning on signing a one-day contract with the team that drafted him in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft — and would go on to surpass Hall of Famers Barry Sanders, Eric Dickerson and finish with more yardage than LaDanian Tomlinson with 16,000 yards total.
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“Probably (will retire) in a couple of months,” Gore told Watney in the interview released on the evening of Saturday, April 2. “We’re still trying to figure out when I’m going to do my one-day contract, to sign, do my retirement. I told (49ers CEO) Jed York that I always wanted to be a Niner, so we’re working on that right now.”
The reactions began to pour online for Gore following the Saturday, April 2 release of the interview and the retirement announcement from the veteran running back.
Gore Overcame Odds at Miami
Gore was once buried in a loaded backfield at the University of Miami. Not because of lack of production, but because of two obstacles: Two ACL surgeries.
His first came after a March 2002 spring practice at “The U.” A young Willis McGahee would go on to handle the backfield reins that eventually led to a national title game appearance. Then on October 2, 2003, Gore would go down with his second ACL tear against West Virginia.
There are football programs, or even student-athletes, that would likely consider medically retirement from football with two reconstructed knees. But Gore continued to carry the football — and did it for 10 seasons with the 49ers then six more in pit stops with the Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and New York Jets — all in that order.
And as ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter pointed out, Gore would end up having the decorated NFL career from a place that produced NFL caliber running backs.
“Who would have thought that the running back who would go on to become the NFL’s third all-time leading rusher from a 2001 Miami backfield that included Clinton Portis, Willis McGahee and Najee Davenport would turn out to be none other than Frank Gore,” Schefter tweeted on the morning of Sunday, April 3.
Gore also ended up out-gaining the five running backs taken ahead of him in that ’05 class.
Schefter wasn’t the only notable online reaction.
Fans & Past 49ers Share Favorite Gore Moments
Among the reactions for Gore’s retirement? Those who got to work with Gore. And that included the ones in the 49ers’ sports communications office.
Steve Weakland, who served as the 49ers’ director of corporate communications from 2011 to 2013, called Gore “one of his all-time favorite 49ers.”
Javier Vega of the @4thnGoldPodcast took to Twitter to share one highlight play from Gore that he got the chance to see live:
The Twitter account @CanesLegacy also honored Gore on his big announcement by showcasing his freshman season with the Hurricanes.
One of Gore’s former college teammates Jarrett Payton put out this tweet that mentioned a personal memory involving him and his legendary father Walter:
But it wasn’t just carries and touchdowns that 49er fans remember from Gore. Drea Blackwell of KSBW in Salinas, California shared her favorite Gore clip of when he lit up Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs on a blitz pick up.
Lastly, NFL films released this nearly nine minute video on Gore:
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