Frank Gore remains a beloved player among the San Francisco 49ers fanbase, despite the running back not having played for the team since 2014. He spent last season with the New York Jets. Before that, he spent one season each with the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins. Sandwiched between those stints and his 10 seasons with the Niners were three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts.
As first reported by Jake Hutchinson (h/t to Patrick Tulini for the find), Gore said on KNBR that he still seeks to continue his illustrious career and is waiting until training camp to see if the right situation presents itself. If that doesn't happen, it may mean it's time for Gore's illustrious career to come to an end. The running back plans to retire if he doesn't land on an NFL roster this offseason.
Frank Gore said on @KNBR that he's still looking for the right situation for himself, waiting until training camp. If he doesn't find that situation, he said he'll retire
— Jake Hutchinson (@hutchdiesel) June 3, 2021
"I know that I can still play the game," Gore said on the Murph & Mac show. "I know I can help a team. But it's also got to be the right situation [with a] team that I feel [can go] to the playoffs and get a chance to probably go to the Super Bowl. Like I said, I know that I can still play the game of football, but I also want to be in the right situation and the right team."
Added Gore: "I talked to a couple of teams, but my agent told me not to put no teams' names out there. I kind of want to wait until training camp. I want to feel that. I want to wait to see, is the right situation for me? Right now, I'm just enjoying the family, working out, and if a team calls, and I feel like it's right, I'm [going to] do it. If I don't like the situation, I'll say forget it and retire. I've been blessed. I've been blessed 16 years. I think about when I came in; I wanted to play two or three."
Gore was asked to confirm he meant that he plans to retire if the right situation doesn't present itself, and he did. The running back was also asked what he thinks about potentially reuniting with the 49ers.
"I would love that, but we'll see," Gore responded. "I know that they got the two running backs (in the draft), and I know how this team works. I know they want to get the young guys the first opportunity to see what they've got. If they call me, I'll be ready."
Gore's 16,000 rushing yards rank No. 3 all-time, with only Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton earning more during their careers. The 38-year-old running back remains San Francisco's all-time leading rusher with 11,073 yards. The Niners made Gore a third-round draft pick out of Miami in 2005.
You can listen to the entire conversation with Gore below.
