SAN FRANCISCO—The Frank Gore era has officially come to an end in San Francisco.
Following a 10-year run with the 49ers, Gore will join the Philadelphia Eagles. He is expected to sign a three-year, $7.5 million deal when free agency officially opens Tuesday.
Gore, 31, will be fondly remembered by Niners fans as a model of consistency, a true grinder with the ability to gain hard yards between tackles, frequently breaking-off long runs with his sneaky speed and quickness.
Gore first joined the Niners as a third-round pick in 2005. Overshadowed for much of his collegiate career at the University of Miami by a cast of running backs that included Willis Mcgahee and Clinton Portis, Gore proved a steal for a then-struggling 49ers team.
Gore has been the centerpiece of the Niners offense for much of the past ten years, where he was a key contributor in the turnaround of a once-proud San Francisco 49ers franchise.
In Philadelphia, he will be expected to take over for the since-departed Lesean McCoy. At 31, Gore looks to defy conventional wisdom that as commodities, tailbacks tend to expire shortly after their 30th birthday.
In 2015-16, he may serve as one head of a formidable two-headed monster at running back. In Philly, he is expected to share touches with speedster Darren Sproles, another veteran looking to tap into the elusive fountain of youth.
In 10 seasons with San Francisco, Gore totaled nearly 14,000 all-purpose yards and scored 75 career touchdowns. He currently sits at number 20 on the NFL’s all-time leading rusher list.
