49ers to ‘get after’ ageless Gore
Jets running back both friend and foe, the latter for now
Frank Gore began his career with the 49ers and, whenever it finally ends, he plans to ceremonially retire with the franchise that drafted him in 2005.
In the interim? Well, Gore, who referred to the 49ers as “we” in 2017 when he was employed by the Colts, could be considered an honorary team member.
After last season’s Super Bowl, played in his hometown of Miami, Gore visited the 49ers’ locker room, connected with a few teammates from his 10year tenure and counseled others following the crushing loss.
“He just told me to keep my head up and gave me a few words of good advice,” defensive end Nick Bosa said. “He seems like an unbelievable dude.”
Gore wasn’t done. He attended the 49ers’ postgame party at American Airlines Arena, where general manager John Lynch spoke with Gore for about an hour.
“I’d never really had a chance to talk with Frank,” Lynch said. “And after that I completely understood why everyone loves the guy so much.”
On Sunday, the 49ers will reconnect with one of the best and most beloved players in franchise history when they visit the Jets, who signed Gore, 37, in May. Fittingly, with running back Le’Veon Bell on injured reserve, Gore will serve as the starter in his 228th career game, the most in NFL history by a running back.
Gore is older than his position coach, Jim Bob Cooter, 36, and three other Jets assistants. His son, Frank Jr., is a freshman running back at Southern Miss. He was drafted in the third round by the 49ers early in President George W. Bush’s second term.
So how after 15,371 rushing yards, the third most in NFL history, and 3,554 rushing attempts, also third alltime, is Gore still running?
Part of the reason is Gore’s mindset: The future Hall of Famer still views himself as a kid with something to prove. When asked this week about signing with the Jets, knowing he would serve as Bell’s backup, Gore likened it to playing behind two future Pro Bowl running backs during his college career.
“It reminded me of coming out of high school and going to the University of Miami,” Gore said to New York reporters. “We had a bunch of guys like Clinton Portis, (Willis) McGahee. … That’s how I looked at it here.”
Gore is with the Jets because head coach Adam Gase is among those who marvel at his work ethic and passion. Gase, a 49ers assistant at the time, met Gore in 2008. Ten years later, Gase, then Miami’s head coach, brought Gore to the Dolphins. And they’re together again because Gase knows Gore will still prepare like a freakedout rookie every week.
In 2008, “he wanted to make sure he knew exactly what he was supposed to in protection, in routerunning, in his run reads,” Gase said. “He was always spending extra time trying to make sure he knew everything that was going on so when Sunday came no one would ever say, ‘Oh, if Frank had done this.’ He just would not allow that to happen.”
Not that Gase and Gore haven’t butted heads. Gase smiled when speaking to New York reporters about a source of friction: Giving Gore a weekly break.
Now in his 16th season, Gore grudgingly accepts his “vet days” (off ) on Thursdays, but he stays engaged by standing behind the offense and envisioning he’s in the backfield.
“Even though I’m not (practicing), I try to get a look from the back,” Gore said. “Listening to what (quarterback) Sam (Darnold) calls, what the play is. Just keeping my eyes aware. … Seeing the linebackers and safeties, so when I get back it’s like I saw it already.”
Gore will face the 49ers for only the second time since his final season with the franchise in 2014. In 2017, Gore had 86 total yards against the 49ers in the Colts’ 2623 overtime win.
Before that game, the man known for his football IQ proved prescient when he offered his scouting report of the 49ers, who were 04 in Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan’s first season.
CEO Jed York “did a good job of picking the guys to run the team. I think they’re going to be OK,” Gore said, later adding: “They’re going to be back to where we were, to make a run for the NFC West.”
This week, however, Gore was more focused on his own team when asked by the New York media about starting against his former franchise. The Jets haven’t had a winning season since 2015 and are coming off a 2717 seasonopening loss to the Bills.
“It could be the 49ers, it could be Seattle or whatever,” Gore said. “I just want to get a win.”
Gore said last year he would return to the Bay Area and sign a ceremonial contract so he could retire with the 49ers when his career is over.
On Sunday, though, the honorary team member who had kind words for players such as Bosa in February will serve as the opponent.
“He’s obviously the enemy this week,” Bosa said. “So we have to get after him.”