According to Adam Schefter of ESPN on Tuesday, the New York Jets have signed running back Frank Gore of Coral Gables, Florida to a one year contract. The financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Gore will be joining his fifth National Football League franchise. Ironically, the last three franchises including the Jets have been from the AFC East. In 2018, Gore was with the Miami Dolphins and in 2019 was with the Buffalo Bills. Gore also spent 10 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers from 2005 to 2014 and three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts from 2015 to 2017 before his AFC East journey.
Last season with the Bills, Gore had 166 rushes for 599 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 13 catches for 100 yards.
What Gore brings to the Jets organization are leadership, durability, and experience. At 36 years of age, Gore has played in 226 games and started in 204 of them. He has 15347 total yards rushing, which is third all-time behind Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys (18355 yards) and Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears (16726 yards).
However, it is a little unrealistic to assume that Gore will be able to pass Smith or Payton on the NFL all-time rushing list. That is because Gore’s primary duty in New York will be to backup Le’Veon Bell of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. Bell joined the Jets in 2019 after being five seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. At 28 years of age, Bell is about the age for a NFL running back where you generally see a peak in overall production.
Bell and Gore have been to a combined eight Pro Bowls. Bell played in 2014, 2016, and 2017. Gore played in 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013.
