(ThyBlackMan.com) The names Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton are vital parts of NFL history. Smith was the ground attack for one of the NFL’s greatest dynasties, the 1990s Dallas Cowboys, and Payton represented the power of the Chicago Bears offense as a member of one of the greatest teams in NFL history, the 1985 Chicago Bears. Both NFL legendary running backs, Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton, also are first and second respectively on the NFL’s all-time rushing list. The third name on that list is the most surprising of all the names that rank in the top 10 all-time rushers. The third name on the list is current NFL free agent Frank Gore, who did something last year worthy of respect and awe with familial ties.
Frank Gore was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft out of the University of Miami. The University of Miami has been a talent rich NFL factory and Gore carried the success of former Hurricane running backs like Edgerrin James, Willis McGahee, and Clinton Portis into the NFL. Although Gore was productive early in his NFL career, including having four seasons of at least 1,000 rushing in his first six seasons, the 49ers didn’t have much team success. It wasn’t until the arrival of head coach Jim Harbaugh in 2011 that Gore played on a 49ers playoff team and Gore’s recognition increased as well as he made three consecutive Pro Bowl teams as an All-Star from 2011 to 2013.
Despite being drafted all the way back in 2005, Frank Gore was one of only eight people from the entire 2005 NFL Draft to play last season. The running style of Frank Gore isn’t conducive for a long NFL career as a power back who ran through tackles more so than eluding or making them miss. The fact that Frank Gore played running back last season for the New York Jets at the ancient age of 37 is truly incredible and it is as incredible that another Frank Gore was playing college football last year as well. Frank’s son, Frank Gore Jr., played running back for Southern Mississippi as a true freshman in 2020. The younger Gore is carrying his father’s name, plays the same position, and even wore the same number as his father did in 2020 as both men wore number 21. Both Southern Mississippi and the New York Jets had losing seasons in 2020 but that doesn’t change the fact that a father was playing in the NFL the same time that his son was playing Division I football the same year.
It is important to note that the older Frank Gore did not push his son into playing football because of own football success. Back in 2018 before Frank Jr. signed a letter-of-intent to play college football, Frank Sr. said, “I’m not going to push him to do nothing. Whatever he wants to do, he’s going to do it. It’s not just because I play ball, he’s got to play ball. Me seeing him since he was a little kid, he was outside playing with his bigger cousins. I knew he was going to play football.” Frank Gore Jr. doesn’t quite have his dad’s size at running back at 5’8 and 185 pounds compared to his dad’s 5’9 and 212 pounds but both men did something uniquely cool in 2020. Frank Gore Sr. led the New York Jets in rushing and Frank Gore Jr. led the Southern Miss Golden Eagles in rushing. The younger Gore can have bragging rights over his dad as he ran for 708 yards compared to the older Gore’s 653 yards while both father and son scored two rushing touchdowns on their respective teams. Frank Gore Sr. isn’t currently on an NFL team so he may have the opportunity to watch his son more in-person instead of competing to put up bigger numbers than his son.
Staff Writer; Mark Hines