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.
That might not have happened without the lessons he learned from the franchise’s all-time leading rusher.
“Frank is my favorite teammate because I learned the most from him when I was a kid – a first-, second- and third-year player,” Staley told me on the Candlestick Chronicles Podcast last year. “The way he approached the game of football had a huge impact on my life and the way that my career ended up turning out. If he wasn’t there with that example, I don’t think my career would have turned out what it did. He definitely set the tone with work ethic and how he approached the game every single day, and the seriousness you have to have when you walk in the building.”
To Staley’s point, no player is spoken of with more reverence than Gore inside the walls of the 49ers’ Santa Clara facility. No player has worn No. 21 since his departure after the 2014 season, and its unlikely any player will in the future.
Gore signed a ceremonial contract with the 49ers last week to officially retire as a member of the team. He finished his career with exactly 16,000 rushing yards, putting him third on the NFL’s career rushing list. His 13,956 yards from scrimmage rank second in 49ers history behind Jerry Rice.
Gore at some point will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. In the meantime, he’ll be made a member of the 49ers Hall of Fame inside Levi’s Stadium, named after former owner Eddie Debartolo Jr., next fall.
“Frank had to overcome many challenges upon entering the NFL and now leaves the game not only as one of the best backs in NFL history, but one of the best football players ever,” 49ers CEO Jed York wrote in a statement. Frank’s 16-year NFL career is a testament to his durability, having played in more games than any other running back in league history. His grit, toughness and commitment to greatness earned him the respect of his coaches, teammates and opponents. We knew this day would come when Frank would retire a 49er and we look forward to The Faithful celebrating his induction into the 49ers Hall of Fame in Levi’s Stadium this upcoming season.”
Frank Gore, fan favorite
Another thing that sets Gore apart from other players was the way he resonated with fans. He gave everything he had to a team that finished no better than .500 during his first six seasons. He became one of the NFL’s best running backs despite tearing his ACL twice at the University of Miami, which caused him to drop to the third round of the NFL draft.
He wore his emotions on his sleeve, often shedding tears during postgame media sessions after losses, which made the team’s ascension under Jim Harbaugh in 2011 that much sweeter.
Gore, of course, was a focal point of Harbaugh’s offenses. The team broke through in 2011 thanks to a stellar defense and running game centered around the future Hall of Famer. Gore was already a fan favorite, but the Faithful were able to latch on to Gore as a winning player, which meant more than being a bright spot on a losing team.
“One of the very first things I told the 49ers organization when they drafted me in 2005 was that they got the right guy,” Gore state in a statement. “I knew early on that I wouldn’t let my college career define me in regards to injuries, and that I would have to outwork a lot of people to get to where I wanted to be.
“After 10 years in San Francisco and 16 years in the NFL, I can confidently say that I put all I had into the game of football. Football was and is everything to me. From meetings and film study to practice and just being in the locker room, all of it meant the world to me. I am happy to officially close this chapter of my life and proud of what I was able to accomplish and the legacy I leave behind.”
Longevity and yards
There was speculation that Gore would retire after it was made clear the 49ers weren’t bringing him back after the 2014 campaign. But he went on to appear in all 16 games the next three seasons for the Indianapolis Colts, where he rushed for 967, 1,025 and 961 yards, respectively. He finished his career by appearing in 45 of 48 games with the Dolphins, Bills and Jets from ages 35 to 37.
He’s San Francisco’s only running back to break 1,000 yards in four consecutive seasons — and he did it twice (from 2006 to 2009 and 2011 to 2014). No other running back ran for more yards after turning 30. His 7,161 is better than Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher. Gore set a record with at least 500 rushing yards in all 16 of his seasons and has the most campaigns with 1,200 yards from scrimmage with 12.
Gore will go down as one of the most durable running backs in NFL history. He had a knack for being a physical, bruising, interior rusher with a fifth sense for avoiding big hits. Gore would rarely break big runs, particularly during the second half of his career, but he knew how to maximize each carry in a way that should be taught to running backs coming into the league.
Beyond the durability and numbers, Gore will be remembered by San Francisco and its fans as a foundational player whose influence lasted beyond his playing days. That makes him arguably the most important 49ers player of his generation.
