49ers legend Frank Gore to retire as a 49er

49ers all-time leading rusher Frank Gore is retiring. He told the SF Niners Podcast he plans to sign a one-day contract with the team and then hang up his pads after 16 NFL seasons.

Gore entered the NFL as a third-round pick of the 49ers in the 2005 draft. He took a back seat in his rookie year, but by his second season he played and started all 16 games and went to the Pro Bowl after rushing for 1,695 yards and eight touchdowns. It was the first of nine 1,000-yard seasons and 12 consecutive years with 1,200 yards from scrimmage.

He spent his first 10 years with the 49ers, then left in free agency at Age 31. He signed with the Colts for three years, then played for the Dolphins, Bills and Jets for one season each. He went unsigned in 2021.

Gore ran for 16,000 yards in his career – third-most all-time – and averaged 4.3 yards per carry on 3,735 attempts. Of those 16,000 yards, 11,073 came in red and gold. It’s fitting he’ll end his career as a member of the 49ers where he’ll surely go into the team’s Hall of Fame, and he should eventually wind up in Canton.