Frank Gore facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Frank Gore

Gore with the San Francisco 49ers in 2012
San Francisco 49ers
Position:	Football personnel advisor
Personal information
Born:	(1983-05-14) May 14, 1983 (age 42) Miami, Florida, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:	212 lb (96 kg)
Career information
High school:	Coral Gables Senior (Coral Gables, Florida)
College:	Miami (FL) (2001–2004)
NFL Draft:	2005 / Round: 3 / Pick: 65
Career history
As player:
San Francisco 49ers (2005) Indianapolis Colts (2015) Miami Dolphins (2018) Buffalo Bills (2019) New York Jets (2020)
As executive:
San Francisco 49ers (2023–present) Football advisor
Career highlights and awards
Second-team All-Pro (2006) 5× Pro Bowl (2006, 2009, 2011–2013) NFL 2010s All-Decade Team Art Rooney Award (2016) San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame BCS national champion (2001) ACC Brian Piccolo Award (2004) Second-team All-ACC (2004) NFL record Most games played by a running back: 241
Career NFL statistics
Rushing attempts: 3,735 Rushing yards: 16,000 Rushing touchdowns: 81 Receptions: 484 Receiving yards: 3,985 Receiving touchdowns: 18
Player stats at PFR

Franklin Gore Sr. (born May 14, 1983) is a former professional football player. He was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. Frank Gore spent most of his career with the San Francisco 49ers. He is known for being one of the best running backs in NFL history. He ranks third in NFL career rushing yards. His long career was very unusual for a running back. He holds the record for the most games played by a running back.

Gore played college football for the Miami Hurricanes. The 49ers picked him in the third round of the 2005 NFL draft. During his 10 years with the 49ers, he became the team's all-time leading rusher. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl five times. He also led the National Football Conference (NFC) in rushing yards in 2006. He played in Super Bowl XLVII in 2012. After leaving San Francisco in 2014, Gore played for the Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and New York Jets. He is part of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.

Early Life

Frank Gore was born on May 14, 1983, in Miami, Florida. He grew up in Coconut Grove. He went to Coral Gables Senior High School in Coral Gables, Florida. There, he played running back on the football team.

He had some amazing games in high school. In one game, he ran for 293 yards and scored two touchdowns. In the very next game, he broke that record with 319 yards and six touchdowns! During his senior year in 2000, Gore set new records for Dade County. He rushed for 2,997 yards and scored 39 touchdowns in one season. He was a top football player in Florida and across the country.

While becoming a football star, Gore also worked hard on his schoolwork. He helped his mother, who was very sick with kidney disease. To stay close to his family, Gore decided to go to the University of Miami.

College Football Journey

Gore received a scholarship to play for the University of Miami. He played under head coach Larry Coker.

Starting Strong: 2001 Season

As a freshman in 2001, Gore was a backup running back. He played alongside Clinton Portis and Willis McGahee. He had a great first game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. He ran for 78 yards and scored his first college touchdown. Later, he had a huge game against the West Virginia Mountaineers. He ran for 124 yards and scored two touchdowns.

Gore finished his freshman year with 562 rushing yards and five touchdowns. He averaged an impressive 9.1 yards per carry. His team, the Miami Hurricanes, won the National Championship that year. He was named the Big East Freshman of the Year by Sporting News.

Overcoming Injuries: 2002 and 2003 Seasons

In 2002, Gore faced a big challenge. He tore a ligament in his left knee during practice. He spent the whole season recovering from surgery. Before this injury, he was set to be the starting running back.

He returned in 2003, sharing the backfield with other players. He started strong with three games where he ran for over 100 yards. But then, he tore the same knee ligament again. This injury ended his 2003 season early. He finished that year with 468 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

Leading the Team: 2004 Season

Gore came back from his second knee injury in 2004. He became the main running back for Miami. In the first game, he scored the winning touchdown in overtime against Florida State. He had three games with over 100 rushing yards. This included a fantastic 195-yard performance against Virginia. He ended the season with 945 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.

Overall, in 28 college games, Gore rushed for 1,975 yards and 17 touchdowns. His rushing yards ranked seventh in school history. In 2018, he was honored by being inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame.

College Stats

NFL Career

San Francisco 49ers: A Decade of Dominance

The San Francisco 49ers picked Frank Gore in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He was the sixth running back chosen that year.

Rookie Year: 2005

Gore played in 14 games in his first NFL season. He led the 49ers in rushing with 608 yards and three touchdowns. This was the first time a rookie led the team in rushing since 1990. He also had his first 100-yard game against the Houston Texans. After the season, he had surgery on both of his shoulders.

Breakout Star: 2006

In 2006, Gore became the main running back for the 49ers. He had an incredible season, rushing for a team-record 1,695 yards. He also set a team record with 2,180 total yards (rushing and receiving). Gore became the first 49ers player to lead the NFC in rushing yards.

He set a new 49ers single-game rushing record with 212 yards against the Seattle Seahawks. He had nine games where he rushed for over 100 yards. This broke the team record for most 100-yard games in a season. Gore was chosen for his first Pro Bowl as a starting running back. During this season, he earned the nickname "The Inconvenient Truth." This nickname came from the movie An Inconvenient Truth.

Continued Success: 2007-2014

Gore in action against the St. Louis Rams in 2007

Gore signed a new contract in 2007. Sadly, his mother passed away that year. He still played well, rushing for 1,102 yards and five touchdowns. In 2008, he continued his strong play, rushing for over 1,000 yards for the third straight season.

Gore waiting for the start of the 2009 season opener against the Arizona Cardinals

In 2009, Gore had another amazing game against the Seattle Seahawks. He rushed for 206 yards and scored two long touchdowns (79 and 80 yards). He was only the second player in NFL history to have two touchdowns of 75+ yards in one game. He finished the season with a career-high 10 rushing touchdowns. He was also selected for his second Pro Bowl.

Gore on the sidelines with the San Francisco 49ers, 2009

The 2010 season was cut short for Gore due to a hip injury. However, he came back strong in 2011. The 49ers hired Jim Harbaugh as their new coach. The team focused on a strong running game and defense. This helped Gore and the 49ers reach the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Gore rushed for 1,211 yards that season. He became the 49ers' all-time leading rusher, passing Joe Perry.

Gore in Green Bay for the 2012 season opener

In 2012, Gore had another great year, rushing for 1,214 yards and eight touchdowns. He was chosen for his fourth Pro Bowl. The 49ers made it all the way to Super Bowl XLVII. Gore rushed for 110 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl, but the 49ers lost a close game to the Baltimore Ravens.

Gore in 2013

Even at 30 years old in 2013, Gore continued to perform well. He rushed for 1,128 yards and nine touchdowns. The 49ers made it to the NFC Championship game again but lost to the Seahawks.

Gore in 2013

In 2014, Gore reached a huge milestone. He became the 29th player in NFL history to rush for 10,000 career yards. He finished his time with the 49ers with 1,106 rushing yards that season. He also became the 20th player to reach 11,000 career rushing yards.

Indianapolis Colts: New Team, Same Great Play

In 2015, Frank Gore signed with the Indianapolis Colts. He had a good season, rushing for 967 yards and six touchdowns. This was the first time he played all 16 games but didn't reach 1,000 rushing yards. He moved up to 15th all-time in rushing yards.

Gore with the Indianapolis Colts in 2016

In 2016, Gore continued to climb the all-time rushing list. He passed Jim Brown and became the Colts' first 100-yard rusher in 55 games. He finished the season with 1,025 rushing yards. This was his ninth season with at least 1,000 rushing yards. Only four other NFL legends have done that: Emmitt Smith, Curtis Martin, Walter Payton, and Barry Sanders. He moved up to eighth on the all-time career rushing list.

In 2017, Gore passed Jerome Bettis and LaDainian Tomlinson to reach fifth place on the all-time rushing list. He had a career-high 36 carries for 130 yards in a snowy game against the Buffalo Bills. He finished the season with 961 rushing yards, bringing his career total to 14,026. He became only the fifth player in NFL history to reach 14,000 rushing yards. The Colts decided not to re-sign him after this season.

Miami Dolphins: Playing at Home

On March 22, 2018, Gore signed with his hometown team, the Miami Dolphins. In Week 2, he passed Curtis Martin for fourth-most rushing yards all time. He had a 101-yard rushing game against the Chicago Bears. His season ended early due to a foot injury. He finished the 2018 season with 722 rushing yards. This was his first career season without a rushing touchdown.

Buffalo Bills: Reaching New Heights

In 2019, Gore signed with the Buffalo Bills. In Week 4, he became the fourth player in NFL history to run for 15,000 yards. He also became the second-oldest player to have a 100+ yard rushing game. In Week 12, he passed Barry Sanders for third place on the all-time rushing list. This was Gore's 15th season with at least 500 rushing yards, which is an NFL record. He finished the season with 599 rushing yards. He was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-Decade Team for the 2010s.

New York Jets: Final Season

On May 6, 2020, Gore signed with the New York Jets. In Week 15, he set an NFL record for most games played by a running back, passing Lorenzo Neal. He finished his final season as the Jets' leading rusher with 653 yards.

Retirement from Football

On June 2, 2022, Frank Gore officially retired from football. He signed a special one-day contract with the San Francisco 49ers. This allowed him to retire as a member of the team that drafted him. He finished his amazing career with exactly 16,000 rushing yards.

NFL Career Stats

Regular season

Postseason

Amazing Achievements and Records

Frank Gore achieved many great things in his NFL career:

• 5-time Pro Bowl selection (2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013)
• 5-time NFC Offensive Player of the Week
• Second-team All-Pro (2006)
• NFC Champion (2012)
• PFWA All-NFC (2006)
• PFWA Most Improved Player of the Year (2006)
• Member of the 10,000 Rushing Yards Club
• Won the 2016 Art Rooney Award for being a great sportsman.
• Most consecutive seasons with at least five touchdowns: 11 (tied with other legends like Jerry Rice)
• First player in NFL history with 12 straight seasons of 1,200+ yards from scrimmage.
• One of only five running backs in NFL history with at least nine 1,000-yard seasons. The others are Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, and Curtis Martin.
• One of only four running backs in NFL history with 15,000+ career rushing yards. The others are Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, and Barry Sanders.
• Third all-time in career rushing yards.

NFL Records

• Most seasons with 1,200 yards from scrimmage: 12
• Most consecutive seasons with at least 500 yards rushing: 16
• Most consecutive seasons with at least 600 yards rushing: 14
• Most consecutive seasons with at least 700 yards rushing: 13 (tied with Emmitt Smith)
• Most career games played by an NFL running back: 241

49ers Team Records

• Most rushing yards in a career: 11,073
• Most rushing yards in a single game: 212 (in 2006)
• Most 100-yard games in a season: 9 (in 2006)
• Most rushing yards in a three-game period: 505 (in 2006)
• Most consecutive games with 100 yards: 5 (in 2011)
• Most rushing yards in a season: 1,695 (in 2006)
• Most total yards (rushing and receiving) in a season: 2,180 (in 2006)

Life After Football

Boxing Career

After his football career, Frank Gore started boxing as a heavyweight. He had an exhibition match in 2021 against former NBA player Deron Williams. Then, on May 14, 2022, he made his professional boxing debut. He won his first professional fight by knockout.

Back with the 49ers

On July 29, 2023, the 49ers hired Frank Gore to work in their office. He is now a football advisor for the team.

Personal Life and Giving Back

Like Father, Like Son

Frank Gore Sr.'s oldest son, Frank Gore Jr., was born in 2002. Frank Gore Jr. also became a running back, following in his father's footsteps. Frank Gore Sr. didn't plan for his son to play football. He said, "Whatever he wants to do, he's going to do it; not because I played ball, he has to play ball." He knew his son would play football after seeing him play with his older cousins.

Because of his busy NFL career, Frank Gore Sr. couldn't watch his son play local football games after age 5. This changed when he returned to Miami 13 years later to play for the Dolphins. In 2019, Frank Gore Jr. decided to play college football at the University of Southern Mississippi. In 2024, Gore Jr. signed with the Buffalo Bills. Frank Gore Sr. was very proud and said his son would live up to the family name.

Helping His Community

On April 12, 2018, the Mayor of Miami, Francis Suarez, honored Frank Gore. He was given the 'Keys to the City'. The Mayor said Gore "symbolizes the very soul of [Miami]." Gore asked his family and friends to stand with him to be honored. He wanted to thank those who helped him through tough times. He shared that he grew up in a small apartment with many people. Mayor Suarez declared April 12 as "Frank Gore Day."

Boxing Matches

Professional Record

Exhibition Record

See Also

• List of National Football League career rushing yards leaders
• List of National Football League career rushing touchdowns leaders
• List of National Football League career all-purpose yards leaders
• List of National Football League career rushing attempts leaders
• List of NFL players by games played