Franklin Gore Sr. (born May 14, 1983) is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. A member of the San Francisco 49ers for most of his career, he ranks third in NFL career rushing yards. His career was also noted for longevity, a rare trait with his position, and he holds the league record for games played by a running back.
Gore played college football for the Miami Hurricanes and was selected by the 49ers in the third round of the 2005 NFL draft. During his 10 seasons with the 49ers, he became the franchise's rushing yards leader, in addition to receiving five Pro Bowl selections and one second-team All-Pro selection. He also led the National Football Conference (NFC) in rushing yards during the 2006 season and made an appearance in Super Bowl XLVII in 2012. After leaving San Francisco at the end of the 2014 season, Gore played for the Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and New York Jets. Following his retirement, he has served as a football advisor to the 49ers since 2023. He was named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team in 2020.
Gore was born on May 14, 1983, in Miami, Florida, and grew up in Coconut Grove. He attended Coral Gables Senior High School in Coral Gables, Florida, where he played running back on the football team. He had two notable record-breaking games. Against Miami Northwestern High School, he had a then-career high 293 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries. In the next game, he broke that record with 319 yards and six touchdowns on 13 carries against the third-ranked defense in the nation. During his senior year in 2000, Gore broke several Dade County single-season records, including rushing yards (2,997) and touchdowns (39). Heavily recruited, he was named the fourth-ranked prospect in the state of Florida and 18th nationally.
While emerging as a talented football prospect, Gore also focused his attention on improving his academics and assisting his mother, who was battling kidney disease and had started dialysis treatments. To remain close to home, Gore chose to attend the University of Miami.
Gore had a scholarship to attend the University of Miami under head coach Larry Coker.
In his freshman year, Gore shared the backfield with Clinton Portis and Willis McGahee, with Portis receiving a majority of the carries. Gore made his collegiate debut against the Penn State Nittany Lions on September 1. He had six carries for 15 yards in the 33–7 victory over the Nittany Lions. In the next game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, he had six carries for 78 yards and his first collegiate rushing touchdown in the 61–0 victory. On October 25, Gore had a breakout game against the West Virginia Mountaineers with six carries for 124 yards and two touchdowns in the 45–3 victory. On November 17, he churned 11 carries for 157 rushing yards against Syracuse.
As a true freshman for the Miami Hurricanes football in 2001, Gore totaled 562 yards with five touchdowns on 62 carries, for a 9.1-yard avg, as a backup to Clinton Portis on Miami's 2001 National championship winning team. Gore has the third-best season total in school history by a freshman and was named Sporting News' Big East Freshman of the Year.
Gore suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee during spring practice in 2002 and spent the following season recovering from knee surgery. Before his injury that year, Gore beat out future NFL running back Willis McGahee in the spring of 2002 for the role as the Hurricanes' starter.
Gore returned from his injury in the 2003 season. He shared the backfield with Jarrett Payton and Tyrone Moss. Gore started the season strong with three games going over 100 rushing yards and scoring three touchdowns in that span. However, on October 2, Gore played in his final game of the 2003 season against the West Virginia Mountaineers and had four carries for 15 yards before tearing his ACL again, which ended his season.
Gore finished the 2003 season with 89 carries for 468 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns to go along with 12 receptions for 105 receiving yards.
Gore returned from his ACL injury to lead the Miami backfield in carries, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns. In the regular season opener against Florida State, he recorded the game-winning 18-yard touchdown run in overtime. He recorded three games with over 100 rushing yards, including a 195-yard performance against Virginia on October 13. He finished the season with 197 carries for 945 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns.
In 28 total games with the Hurricanes, Gore rushed 348 times for 1,975 yards (a 5.7 rushing average) and seventeen touchdowns. When his college career was finished, Gore's 1,975 yards ranked seventh on the school's career-record list and his seventeen touchdowns were tied for tenth. He also caught 25 passes for 225 yards (9.8 avg), returned two kickoffs for 48 yards and recorded five tackles on special teams. Gore was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.
Gore was selected in the third round with the 65th overall pick of the 2005 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He was the sixth running back to be selected in the 2005 NFL Draft. In addition, he was the third of five Miami Hurricanes to be selected that year.
Gore signed a three-year contract with the team on July 28, 2005. He played in 14 games, starting one, in the 2005 season. Gore was inactive for two contests with a groin injury. He finished the season seventh among all NFL rookie running backs in rushing average with 4.8 average per run. He led the team in rushing with 608 yards on 127 carries and three rushing touchdowns. Gore also caught 15 passes for 131 yards. His season was the first time a rookie led the 49ers in rushing since 1990, when Dexter Carter paced the team with 460 yards. Gore's 608 rushing yards was the highest for a 49ers rookie since Roger Craig had 725 yards rushing in 1983.
Gore rushed for 17 yards on four carries and caught two passes for 21 yards in his NFL debut, a 28–25 victory over the St. Louis Rams. Two weeks later, he rushed for 42 yards on seven carries with a 5.4-yard average in a 34–31 loss against the Dallas Cowboys. Gore led the team with 89 yards on nine carries and recorded a then career-long 72-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter of a 52–17 road loss to the Washington Redskins. The touchdown was the longest run from scrimmage by a 49ers player since running back Kevan Barlow had a 78-yard rush against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2003. The touchdown run was fifth-longest run from scrimmage by a 49ers rookie. Gore led the team in rushing for the third straight week with 55 yards on 14 carries (3.9-yard avg.) at the Chicago Bears, with a 19-yard long. He made his first NFL start in a 10–9 road loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, amassing over 100 combined yards with 79 yards rushing on 19 attempts for a 4.2 yard average with three receptions for 57 yards. Gore had his first two-touchdown game in a 24–20 victory over the Rams, with a 10-yard scoring run in the second quarter and a 30-yard score in the fourth quarter. In the regular-season finale against the Houston Texans, he registered his first 100-yard game with 108 yards on 25 carries as the 49ers won by a score of 20–17. Following the season, he had major surgery on both shoulders.
Gore was elevated to the top of the 49ers' depth chart following the August 19, 2006, trade that shipped incumbent starter Kevan Barlow to the New York Jets in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick.
Gore emerged as one of the top running backs in the NFL in his first full season as the starter. He carried the ball 312 times for a franchise-record 1,695 yards, eclipsing Garrison Hearst's 1998 record of 1,570 yards. Gore became the first player in franchise history to lead the NFC in rushing yards. He also set a franchise record with 2,180 combined yards (1,695 yards rushing and 485 yards receiving), breaking Hearst's single-season record of 2,105 total yards (1,570 rushing and 535 receiving) set in 1998. Gore's total placed him second in the NFC to Steven Jackson (1,528 rushing and 806 receiving, 2,334 total) and fourth overall in the entire NFL. In the 49ers' first meeting against the Seattle Seahawks, Gore set the 49ers' single-game rushing record by totaling a career-high 212 yards on 24 carries, besting the 201 yards by Charlie Garner on September 24, 2000, against the Dallas Cowboys. Gore had nine 100-yard rushing games in 2006, giving him ten for his career. His nine 100-yard games in 2006 shattered the franchise record for most 100-yard games in a season. Garrison Hearst (1998) and Roger Craig (1988) each had six 100-yard games in a season. Gore was the first 49ers running back to have three-straight 100 yard games since Garrison Hearst had a 49ers-record four straight 100-yard games during Weeks 13–16 of the 1998 season. In those three weeks, Gore set the team record for most rushing yards in a three-game span.