The New York Jets are signing veteran running back Frank Gore to a one-year deal, his agent told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday morning.
Gore is the third-highest rusher in NFL history, accruing 15,347 yards on the ground in 15 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, and Buffalo Bills.
The soon-to-be 37-year-old is coming off a career-low campaign in the Bills’ backfield during 2019 — a byproduct of a former All-Pro slowing down in his final professional seasons. He posted 599 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns but acted as a mentor to Buffalo’s young rusher, Devin Singletary.
Gore doesn’t necessarily have to be that kind of role model with the Jets considering star back Le’Veon Bell controls the backfield for Gang Green, regardless of how his contract grates head coach Adam Gase.
But Gore and Gase worked together in 2018 while in Miami with the then-35-year-old averaging 4.6 yards per carry in 14 games — the fifth-highest total of his career.
Gase has a history of singing the running back’s praises, too.
“It’s unbelievable,” Gase said earlier this year of Gore still playing. “If you watched him work day-in and day-out, it wouldn’t surprise you. We would always say ‘Hey, we think you should take today off,’ and he’s like, ‘Wednesdays, I’m practicing.’ and he wants every rep.”
“You’re in full pads and he’s going at it like it’s Sunday. That’s just how he looks. That’s how he’s always been. He loves football. There’s no other place he’d rather be than the practice field, gameday. Everything about football, he loves.”
Undoubtedly, Gase will feel that Gore’s approach to the game is the kind of attitude needed in the Jets locker room as he attempts to change the culture of a franchise that has been mired in mediocrity for much of the last decade.
As for his role with the team, Gore will be Bell’s main backup, providing the hope that a lightened workload will allow the Jets to catch lightning in a bottle, even if it’s for just one season.
