Frank Gore is busy gearing up for his celebrity boxing match against former NBA star Deron Williams this Saturday in Tampa Bay.
With the NFL regular season winding down, the 38-year-old former running back made his comeback pitch to 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan Thursday. Greg Ivory of Bleacher Report shared a video of an exchange he had with Gore regarding a possible 49ers reunion.
“They keep making a run, they keep getting in that playoff situation, if they need me I’ll definitely go,” Gore said. “I’m in the best shape I ever been. Boxing shape is totally different. I’ll be ready. I got the knowledge of the game and I still do a lot of football work. If I get the call from the Niners, I’ll be ready.”
Gore hasn’t played since last season with the New York Jets but has said he’d remain open to joining a contender. The 49ers (7-6) currently hold the No. 6 spot in the NFC playoff picture heading into Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons, where they are heavy 9-point favorites.
The 49ers are banged up in the backfield. Starter Raheem Mostert went down early in the year with a season-ending knee injury. Rookie Elijah Mitchell has risen up the depth chart but is dealing with concussion and knee injuries that sidelined him for Wednesday’s practice. Fellow rookie Trey Sermon is on injured reserve with an ankle injury. Jeff Wilson Jr. and JaMychal Hasty are healthy now but have dealt with their own dings this year as well. As such, Deebo Samuel has become a valuable hybrid tailback/receiver for the 49ers, who have found lots of success with run-heavy approaches this season.
Gore spent the first 10 seasons of his 16-year career with San Francisco from 2005-14, amassing 11,073 rushing yards. His 16,000 career rushing yards are No. 3 all-time, trailing only Emmitt Smith (18,355) and Walter Payton (16,726).
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