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Frank Gore
Frank Gore
Frank Gore with Miami
No. --     Free Agent
Running Back
Personal information
Height: 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)Weight: 212 lb (96 kg)
Career information
High school: Coral Gables High School
College: Miami
NFL Draft: 2005 / Round: 3 / Pick: 65
Debuted in 2005 for the San Francisco 49ers
Career history

Career highlights and awards

5x Pro Bowl (2006, 2009, 2011-2013) NFL Records Most games played by a running back (241)

First player in NFL history with 12 consecutive 1,200-yards seasons from scrimmage.

Franklin Delano "Frank" Gore[1] (born May 14, 1983 in Coconut Grove, Florida) is an American football running back who is currently a free agent of the National Football League.

High school career[]

Gore attended Coral Gables High School, where he excelled as a running back. He had two notable record-breaking games. Against Miami Northwestern High School, he had a then career high 293 yards and two touchdowns. In the next game, he broke that record with 319 yards and six touchdowns. During his senior year in 2000, Gore broke several Dade County single-season records, including rushing yards (2,953) and touchdowns (34).[2] Heavily recruited, he was named the No. 3 prospect in Dade County by The Miami Herald, as well as No. 4 in Florida and No. 18 nationally.[3]

While emerging as a talented football prospect, Gore also focused his attention on improving his academics and assisting his mother, who was battling kidney disease and had started dialysis treatments. Gore bought a mansion for his mother on Star Island with his first check from the NFL.[4] To remain close to home, Gore eventually chose to attend the University of Miami (FL).[5]

University of Miami[]

As a true freshman for the University of Miami in 2001, Gore totaled 575 yards with 5 touchdowns on 62 carries (a 9.3-yard avg), the third-best season total in school history by a freshman and was named Sporting News' Big East Freshman of the Year.[6] He suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee before spring practice in 2002 and spent the following season recovering from knee surgery.[7] Before his injury that year, Gore beat out Willis McGahee in the spring of 2002 for the role as the Hurricanes' starting running back.

Gore returned in 2003 and rushed for 100 yards in each of his first three games of the season. He also returned for his senior year in 2004, when his cousin, Kim Gibson, asked him to change his uniform number from #32 to #3 for better luck. He then ran for nearly 1,000 yards during the season.[8].

In 28 total games with the Hurricanes, Gore rushed 380 times for 1,975 yards (a 5.7 rushing average) and seventeen touchdowns. His 1,975 yards rank seventh on the school's career-record list and his seventeen scores are tied for tenth. He also caught 23 passes for 225 yards (9.8 avg), returned two kickoffs for 48 yards and recorded five tackles on special teams.[9]

Professional career[]

2005 NFL Draft[]

Gore was selected 65th overall in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the 49ers.

Pre-draft measureables
Wt 40y 20ss 3-cone Vert BP Wonderlic
210 lb 4.66s* 4.11 7.41s 34 in[10] 17[11] 6[12]

(* represents NFL Combine)

2005 season[]

Gore played in 14 games, starting one. He was inactive for two contests with a groin injury. He finished the season seventh among all NFL rookie running backs in rushing average with 4.8 average per run. He led the team in rushing with 608 yards on 127 carries and three rushing touchdowns.[13] Gore also caught 15 passes for 131 yards. The last time a rookie led the 49ers in rushing was 1990, when Dexter Carter paced the team with 460 yards.[14] His 608 yards rushing was the highest for a 49ers rookie since Roger Craig had 725 yards rushing in 1983.[15]

He rushed for 17 yards on four carries and caught two passes for 21 yards in his first game against the St. Louis Rams. He later rushed for 42 yards on seven carries with a 5.4-yard average against the Dallas Cowboys. He led the team with nine carries on 89 yards and recorded a then career-long 72-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter at the Washington Redskins. The touchdown was the longest run from scrimmage by a 49ers player since running back Kevan Barlow took one 78 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The touchdown run was fifth-longest run from scrimmage by a 49ers rookie. He led the team in rushing for the third straight week with 5 yards on 15 carries (.7 avg.) at the Chicago Bears, with a 19-yard long. He made his first NFL start against the Jacksonville Jaguars, amassing over 100 combined yards with 79 yards rushing on 19 attempts for a 4.2 yard average with three receptions for 57 yards. Gore had his first two-touchdown game against the St. Louis Rams, with a 10-yard scoring run in the second quarter and a 30-yard score in the fourth quarter. In a game against the Houston Texans, he registered his first 100-yard game with 108 yards on 25 carries. Following the season, he had major surgery on both shoulders.

2006 season[]

Gore was elevated to the top of the San Francisco 49ers' depth chart following the August 19, 2006 trade that shipped incumbent starter Kevan Barlow to the New York Jets in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick.[16]

He emerged as one of the top running backs in the NFL in his first full season as the starter. Gore carried the ball 312 times for a franchise record 1,695 yards, eclipsing Garrison Hearst’s 1998 record of 1,570 yards.[17] He became the first member of the 49ers to lead the NFC in rushing yards. He also set a franchise record with 2,180 combined yards (1,695 yards rushing and 485 yards receiving), breaking Hearst’s single season record of 2,105 total yards (1,570 rushing and 535 receiving) set in 1998. His total placed him second in the NFC to Steven Jackson (1,528 rushing and 806 receiving, 2,334 total) and fourth overall in the entire NFL. In the 49ers’ first meeting against the Seahawks, Gore set the 49ers’ single-game rushing record by totaling 212 yards on 24 carries, besting the 201 yards by Charlie Garner on September 24, 2000 against the Cowboys. Gore had nine 100-yard rushing games in 2006, giving him ten for his career. His nine 100-yard games in 2006 shattered the franchise record for most 100-yard games in a season. Garrison Hearst (1998) and Roger Craig (1988) each had six 100-yard games in a season. Gore was the first 49ers running back to have three-straight 100 yard games since Garrison Hearst had a 49ers-record four straight 100-yard games during a stretch in 1998. In those three weeks, Gore set the team record for most rushing yards in a three-game span.

His breakaway ability helped him finish the season with 5.4 yards per carry, placing him third in the entire NFL, behind only Michael Vick (8.4 YPC on 123 carries) and Maurice Jones-Drew (5.7 YPC on 166 carries). The 5.4 yards per carry are tied for the second best in 49ers history. Among players with over 300 carries, however, Gore’s season puts him in elite company. Very few times has a player averaged as many yards per carry as Gore did, while carrying the ball over 300 times. The players ahead of him are all Hall of Famers and feature three, 2,000-yard rushing seasons.

He finished with eight rushing touchdowns, tied for the third most in a season by a 49er. Gore finished the season with 61 receptions, which led the team. Only two other teams had a running back as their leading receiver: New Orleans (Reggie Bush) and Philadelphia (Brian Westbrook). Of those, only Gore and Westbrook also led their team in rushing. He also caught his first receiving touchdown of his career at Seattle, when Alex Smith avoided a sack and found Gore along the left sideline for a 20-yard score. He led the NFL with 16 rushes for 20 or more yards. Gore earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors twice during the 2006 season. He grabbed the honor in Week 5 after rushing for 134 yards on 27 carries, and catching 3 passes for 38 yards, against the Oakland Raiders. He also won in Week 11 after his franchise record 212 rushing yards, and 26 yards on 4 receptions, against Seattle. After Gore’s tremendous season, he was named the starting running back to the NFC Pro Bowl team.[18] It was Gore’s first selection to the Pro Bowl.

Gore had benefited that season from the tutelage of then-offensive coordinator Norv Turner, whose offensive scheme places a heavy emphasis on running the football.

Though Gore had fumbling problems at the beginning of the season, losing the ball once in each of the first four games, he improved his carrying and only fumbled three more times the rest of the year.[19]

2007 season[]

Gore in action against the St. Louis Rams in 2007. Gore signed a contract extension through 2011 estimated to be worth $28 million over four years on March 28, 2007. He also stated that it is his goal to surpass Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record in 2007. He said that he would gain 2,200 yards.

Gore broke a bone in his hand in the non-contact Training Camp drill on July 30 and missed the entire preseason.[20] On September 13, Gore's mother died, due to a kidney disease. He missed a practice, but returned to the team and scored two touchdowns the following Sunday in a 17-16 win over the St. Louis Rams.[21] Gore's best game came against the Arizona Cardinals where he came up with 116 rushing yards and 98 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He finished the season with 1,102 rushing yards and 436 receiving yards.

2008 season[]

Gore began the 2008 season against the eventual NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals, where he rushed for 96 yards on only 14 carries. Despite his impressive performance, which also included a 41 yard touchdown run, the 49ers lost, 23-13.[22]

In Week 3, he dominated the Detroit Lions, rushing for over 120 yards with a touchdown in a 31-13 victory.[23] The following week against the New Orleans Saints, Gore outrushed Reggie Bush, although the 49ers were defeated, 31-17.[24] In Week 6, Gore had his second 100 yard game of the season, as he rushed for 101 yards on 19 carries in a 40-26 defeat against the Philadelphia Eagles.[25]

In a Week 17 match-up against the visiting Washington Redskins, Gore became the first running back in 49ers history to rush for 1,000 yards or more in three straight seasons.[26]

2009 season[]

Gore waiting for the start of the 2009 season opener against the Arizona Cardinals. Gore entered the 2009 season under the guidance of new running back coach Tom Rathman. He would also be complemented by a new second-string back, 49ers' third-round draft pick Glen Coffee.

After being nearly shut down in Week 1 against the Cardinals, Gore would have a career day the following week at the home opener versus the Seattle Seahawks. Gore would rush for 206 yards for a 12.8 yard average, including a 79- and 80-yard touchdown run, becoming the second player in NFL history to rush for two touchdowns for 75 yards or more in a single game, with the other being hall-of-fame running back Barry Sanders.[27] Maurice Jones-Drew would become the third running back to also rush for two touchdowns for 75 yards in a single game.

After missing his next two games against the Rams and Falcons due to an ankle injury, Gore returned in Week 7 against the Houston Texans.[28] While he had a successful game against the Chicago Bears in Week 10, gaining 104 yards with a touchdown,[29] he was used less in the 49ers' offensive game plan in the following three weeks, after the team adopted more of a spread offense.[30] In the 49ers' second game against the Cardinals in Week 14, however, Gore had one of his most successful games of the season, rushing for 167 yards on 25 carries and one touchdown.[31] In the 49ers' game against the Philadelphia Eagles in week 16 of the season, Gore had 16 carries for 107 yards against an Eagles team that hadn't given up an 100-yard game in 22 consecutive games. Gore was named a first alternate for the 2009 Pro Bowl.[32] On January 20th, 2010, Steven Jackson announced he will not be playing in the Pro Bowl because of injury, so Gore was named to the 2010 Pro Bowl in his spot, the second of his career.

Statistics[]

Rushing: Receiving:
Year Ag Tm G GS Att Yds Avg Lng TD Rec Yds Avg Lng TD
2005 22 SF 14 1 127 609 4.8 72 3 15 131 8.7 47 0
2006 23 SF 16 16 312 1,695 5.4 72 8 61 485 8.0 39 1
2007 24 SF 15 15 260 1,102 4.2 43 5 53 436 8.2 23 1
2008 25 SF 14 14 240 1,063 4.3 41 6 43 373 8.7 26 2
2009 26 SF 14 14 229 1,120 4.9 80 10 52 406 7.8 48 3
Totals: 73 60 1,168 5,561 4.8 80 32 224 1,831 8.2 48 7
Stats through the 2009 season.[33]
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