Skip to main content

Frank Gore is returning for his 16th NFL season, as the 36-year-old running back signed a one-year deal with the New York Jets Tuesday. Not far behind him is Gore’s son, Frank Jr., who will start his college football career at Southern Miss later this year. The father-son duo could become the first to suit up in the NFL together if Gore holds on a few more years. Don’t count the ageless wonder out from making even more history soon.

Frank Gore signed a 1-year deal with the Jets Tuesday

Running backs rarely last long into their 30s. It turns out getting tackled 20-30 times every game isn’t a great recipe for a long and prosperous athletic career. The NFL has seen so many running backs go from their primes to irrelevance in a few short years because of the endless grind the position brings.

Gore is the anomaly in what is usually a short career path. He’s returning for his 16th NFL season at age 36, and he still has plenty left in the tank.

Gore rushed for 599 yards and two touchdowns last season with the Bills. He did average a career-low 3.6 yards per carry, but the team could always count on him to pick up a first down in short-yardage situations.

The longtime running back rejoins his old coach, Adam Gase, in New York. He hopes to reignite the magic from the 2018 season in which Gore averaged 4.6 yards per carry under Gase. It was his highest mark since 2012. If anyone knows how to utilize Gore the best, it’s Gase.

Frank Gore Jr. starts his college career in 2020

Frank Gore’s son, Frank Jr., was a three-star recruit out of Killian High School in Miami, Fl. He committed to Southern Miss as the 65th-ranked running back in the country. Frank Jr. will join the team later this year and begin his college career.

If Frank Jr. comes even close to what his father accomplished in college, he would be ecstatic. Gore played three seasons at Miami and scored 17 rushing touchdowns during his time there. He averaged an incredible 9.1 yards per carry in his freshman season, and he immediately got the attention of NFL scouts.

In his junior season, Gore rushed for 945 yards and eight touchdowns. He was drafted by the 49ers in the third round of the 2005 NFL draft. If Frank Jr. wants to walk the same path, he’ll have to impress from day one at Southern Miss.

The Gores can become the first NFL father-son duo to play together

When Gore was drafted by the 49ers in 2005, his son was just three years old. Fifteen years later, Gore is still trucking defenders in the NFL, and his son could join him soon.

Frank Jr. will be eligible to declare for the NFL draft in 2023. His father will be 39. It’s a tall task for someone whose body has to be breaking down after the thousands of hits he’s taken in his career, but there’s no way we’re counting the iron man out.

He made it this far, so he might as well stick around to have a chance to play alongside his son. Imagine seeing Gore and Gore Jr. in the same backfield a few years from now. They would be the first father-son duo to play in the NFL together.

If anyone can do it, it’s Gore.

Best in NFL
Staff Writer

Jack Dougherty

Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sportscasting in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies.

When Jack isn’t writing about sports, he’s watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He’s also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sportscasting with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.