Professional sports teams can talk about culture and professionalism all they want, but it’s up to the players to set those tones. If teams are lucky, players exemplifying that winning spirit, grit and work ethic will become leaders in those ways, which rubs off on a locker room differently than platitudes from a coach or general manager.
That’s what Frank Gore was to the San Francisco 49ers.
He was an organizational pillar for San Francisco whose impact lasted beyond his time with the team. Gore’s presence influenced players around him, like All-Decade left tackle Joe Staley, who remained a 49ers captain and locker room leader when the team rose back to relevance during the Super Bowl season of 2019.
