DRAWING INSPIRATION FROM EARLY DOUBTERS
Dolphins’ Gore still contributing after 14 seasons
Frank Gore’s new apparel line with Players Culture has T-shirts with two fitting phrases for the Miami Dolphins running back.
Even after a storied, 14-year career in the NFL where he has recently become the league’s fourth all-time leading rusher, Gore is still “forever grinding” and motivated to “do it for the doubters.”
Gore continues to draw inspiration from the naysayers who believed his NFL career was over before it started after tearing the ACL in both knees during his time the University of Miami.
Gore, 35, just played his best game with the Dolphins, turning 30 snaps into 15 carries and 101 yards to pace the offense in last week’s overtime win against the Chicago Bears.
And he has no intentions yet of slowing down, heading into Miami’s Week 7 home game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium.
“My whole career: You think about when I went to Miami. I played as a freshman, I go in and compete to be a starter, I tear my ACL. Come back, I start, I get off to a good couple of games and I get hurt again. You hear everybody saying, ‘Oh, he’s done.’
“I get drafted in the third round. People still said I got drafted too high, saying I’ll only play three years.
“And I’m still playing now,” Gore continued before referencing his Forever Grinding shirt and mentality. “The way I’ve been raised, the way my career has been going. So, yeah, it means a lot.”
Gore became the first running back 35 or older to rush for more than 100 yards in a game in the past 14 years, and fifth to do so since 1970. Emmitt Smith was the last to accomplish the feat.
Gore trails Smith, Walter Payton and Barry Sanders on the all-time rushing list. But he still believes he can tote the rock with the young guys.
His numbers show too.
Since 2015, only Todd Gurley and LeSean McCoy have more rushing yards than Gore, who is ahead of Melvin Gordon and Ezekiel Elliott in the top five.
With 4.9 rushing yards it, per attempt this season he is tied with the Panthers Christian McCaffrey for 10th best in the league.
Gore credits “the man up above” and a strict training regimen for his longevity.
He also seeks honest advice from close friends such as Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk, who texted Gore after last week’s game and told him he’s still got it.
The Sun Sentinel's Omar Kelly asks Miami Dolphins running back Frank Gore 10 off-the-field questions.
Still, it’s only natural for reporters to ask Gore about how he continues to prosper and how much longer he expects to play.
“I don’t care about it, but I kind of get tired of it because I still can play,” Gore said of the questions.
“I don’t care what age I am. If I continue to train and feel good and enjoy the locker room, and this organization wants me, and I feel I can do it, I’m going to do it – no matter what my age.”
Gore may not be ready to declare his intentions to play after this season.
And he surely does not think of this run with his hometown Dolphins as a retirement tour of sorts.
Gore embraces the challenge, respects the game and still wants to show he’s still “the same Frank” after all these years.
“I take it one game at a time, one year at a time,” Gore said. “There’s a lot of games left in this season. I’m not even thinking about that right now. Right now, I’m trying to get ready for Sunday and try to get a win on Sunday against Detroit.”