Running back Frank Gore will miss the New York Jets' season finale Sunday, leaving you to wonder if third-leading rusher in NFL history has played in his final professional game.
Head coach Adam Gase - who may not have that title at this time next week - said Monday that Gore won't play in the team's Week 17 tilt at New England because of a lung contusion. This comes just a day after Gore became the third running back in NFL history to surpass 16,000 career rushing yards, doing so in the Jets second consecutive victory.
Though all indications are that Gore will continue his career as long as he has a team willing to employ him, the five-time Pro Bowler has averaged a career-low 3.5 yards per carry in 2020. It's not impossible that a team gives the 37-year-old an opportunity in 2021, but it seems more likely that Gore's underwhelming season with the Jets will be his last.
Is gore the third-best running back in NFL history? No, but his longevity has been remarkable, and will likely lead to him being inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame after his career concludes.
A third-round pick by the 49ers in the 2005 NFL Draft, Gore spent the first decade of his career in San Francisco, including helping the team to appear in Super Bowl XLVII. Since then, he's had stints with the Jets, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills.
Gore's son, Frank Gore Jr., ran for 708 yards while averaging 5.9 yards-per-carry in his freshman season at Southern Mississippi University. Though the elder Gore may not hang on long enough to be in the NFL at the same time as his son, the fact that it's even close to being a possibility, especially given the nature of the running back position, is a testament to how well he's aged.
LISTEN NOW on the RADIO.COM App
Follow RADIO.COM Sports
Twitter | Facebook I Instagram