SANTA CLARA–Frank Gore is the dean of NFL running backs, and it’s not particularly close.
At 34 years old, Gore is far and away the oldest starting running back in the NFL, and even if he was a backup, he’d be the oldest backup running back in the NFL.
Gore has one peer, and that’s 34-year-old Darren Sproles. But the Eagles’ back is out for the season with a torn ACL and the last time Sproles carried the ball 100 times in a season was…never. The last time Gore carried the ball fewer than 200 times in a season was 2005.
But age, of course, is just a number.
“If I didn’t know, shoot, I would think late 20s,” 49ers’ safety Eric Reid said, when asked about Gore. “So he’s still got gas in the tank.”
Saints’ tailback Adrian Peterson is 32 years old, but he’s played in all 16 games just once since 2012. Gore hasn’t missed a game since 2011, and has missed a start just once over the last seven years.
“He’s a beast,” 49ers’ running back Carlos Hyde said. “Definitely a beast. He’s been doing this for a long time and playing at a high level for a long time so I’m trying to have a career like him. Being at the top, a leading rusher.”
On Wednesday, Hyde spoke in the 49ers’ locker room about the tremendous respect he has for Gore, who may have remained with the 49ers if not for the team’s decision to select Hyde in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Even though the 49ers expected Hyde to eventually take over for Gore, the Miami product wasn’t going to relinquish the starting job to a player seven years younger than him during Gore’s 10th NFL season. After all, Gore has proven he still had plenty of juice.
“He (Gore) told me never let a rookie come in and take your spot,” Hyde said.
For the first time in his career, Gore will suit up against the 49ers, as the Indianapolis Colts host San Francisco on Sunday. Even though Gore is now three seasons removed from playing in the red and gold, the 49ers still marvel at what he’s able to accomplish as a starting tailback. While Gore is averaging just 3.1 yards per carry through four games, Indianapolis is without starting quarterback Andrew Luck, which means defenses have been able to stack the box and force reserve signal-caller Jacoby Brisset to try to beat them through the air.
“It’s amazing, we were watching film of him (Gore) today and he had a really nice run against Seattle,” Reid said. “He got in the open field against Earl Thomas, who we all know is one of the best open-field tacklers in the league and he made Earl miss. So he’s still doing it. Shout out to Frank for doing it this long and hopefully he doesn’t do it against us.”
Hyde said that the most important lesson Gore taught him helped him out this season, when a new regime arrived in Santa Clara prepared to make a slew of changes to the team’s roster. Hyde’s spot as the starting tailback was one in question, but after four weeks, there’s no doubt that Hyde will remain atop the depth chart and play an integral role in San Francisco’s offense moving forward.
“When I looked around, I saw some older guys whose spots were in jeopardy of being taken,” Hyde said. “So I definitely took that in and you know, I didn’t let no rookie take my spot. So I appreciate that advice, man.”
For the first time, San Francisco is tasked with stopping Gore, who admitted on a conference call Wednesday morning that he was “bitter” about the way his tenure ended with the 49ers. Gore said he understands that the franchise had a business decision to make, but the 49ers will certainly have their hands full stopping a back who has had no problem proving he has plenty left to give on Sunday.
Though he’s never met Gore, first-year head coach Kyle Shanahan said he thinks Gore is one of the most underrated backs in the game, and offered high praise for a player who will certainly test the 49ers come Sunday.
“Frank’s been, I don’t know Frank personally and I don’t think I’ve ever talked to him before, but Frank’s been one of my favorites in the league since he came out of school,” Shanahan said. “He’s a guy I remember, being a quality control in Tampa and just, I think my first year was when he came out. I was always studying guys and I remember being in love with him then and watching him throughout his career, I know everyone knows how good he is, but I still think he’s one of the most underrated backs of our generation and I have nothing but respect for Frank.”