Frank happy to see more Gore on field
As Jets running back Frank Gore gets ready for his 16th NFL season his son reached a football milestone of his own. Gore’s son, Frank Gore Jr., played in his first college football game for the University of Southern Mississippi over the weekend. Gore Jr. carried the ball 12 times for 32 yards in his college debut, a 32-21 loss to South Alabama.
Frank Sr., who turned 37 in May, said watching his son play made him emotional.
“I shed a tear, I was very happy,” Gore said. “I was a young parent, I had him when I was leaving high school. I always knew he wanted to play ball. Since he was like two or three years old he was out there in the yard playing football and I’m just blessed that he’s been staying on the right path, getting his grades and he got a chance to play college football. It was a great feeling.”
Even though Frank Sr. is one of the longest tenured players in the NFL, this season is a first for him as well — his first as a member of the Jets.
“I’m blessed, happy, still doing something I love,” he said. “Still having fun doing it. I had a great camp competing with all these young guys … I’m happy, man.”
Gore and the Jets are hoping that his veteran leadership helps out an offense that struggled tremendously to run the ball last year, ranking 31st in the league with 3.3 yards per carry.
“I told the guys that to be successful, you gotta work every day in practice,” Gore said. “You gotta get better every day out there on the practice field. I told the guys … as an offense you just got to play for each other … that’s my mindset and I’m going to try to help this team’s mindset be the same.”
The Jets season opener will be against the Buffalo Bills, Gore’s team from last season. Gore said playing against the Bills doesn’t give any extra motivation, even though he believes he could have rushed for 1,000 yards last year in Buffalo.
“It don’t matter what team it is really,” Gore said. “I was there last year, I respect the coach, I respect the guys on that team. Great guys, great coach, great organization. I want to win, I’m with the Jets now and I want to win. So whenever my number gets called, I’m gonna try my best to help my team be successful.”
Gore doesn’t have any plans to retire after the season. In fact, it’s not something he even brings up.
“I never look ahead of time, I can’t,” Gore said. “I take it one day at a time, one year at a time. Just getting out of training camp, I felt good in training camp, I’m having fun. Now we’re going to get ready for Buffalo.”