Every down running backs are like dinosaurs in this day in age in the NFL. With the league using the two-back system and an infusion of pass-happy offenses teams seem to be abandoning the ground and pound running game. In San Francisco that’s not the case under Jim Harbaugh, as he utilizes his workhouse Frank Gore as the staple of his offense. Yesterday against the Dallas Cowboys the “inconvenient truth” Frank Gore added another accolade to his story book career. Gore became the 29th running back in NFL history to surpass 10,000 rushing yards. Gore, the all-time leading rusher in San Francisco 49ers history could possibly be on his way a hall-of-fame career if he stays healthy. Coming into the NFL there were doubts about Gore’s ability to stay healthy, and there were questions about his size. Ten years later the doubts are still their despite being one of the best running backs in the NFL since being named a full-time starter in the 2006 season. Now that Gore is entering the father time age for running backs it will be interesting to see how this season ends for him.
The age may say father time isn’t on Gore’s side, but he looks to defeat it. Many running backs have taken a hit after surpassing 10,000 rushing yards, but I have a feeling that Gore will keep on trucking. A lot of elder backs haven’t accomplished that feat, but Gore has a fighting chance. In Gore’s career he has only had one season (2006) where he had over 300 carries. Gore’s workload has been less than other feature backs in the past, so that improves his chances. Gore’s workload was also less in college as he suffered injuries that caused him to miss carrying a heavy workload.
Gore has the chance to climb up the yardage chart as the season goes on, and if he is on par to reach his eighth 1,000 yard rushing season it can place him near No.18 in company with O.J. Simpson. When and if Gore does it– this will be another notion that Gore is as stubborn as they come. It seems like carry after carry, and year after year people are saying that he is losing gas out of his tank, but in reality he keeps refueling. It’s still too early to tell if Gore has a chance to make it into the NFL Hall of Fame. As long as the doubters remain the same I wouldn’t bet against Gore, because he keeps defying the odds.
Congratulations to Frank Gore for surpassing 10,000 yards rushing, we know there is a lot more to come.
