Frank Gore, who rushed for 11,073 in his decade with the 49ers, will join the Eagles tomorrow when the 2015 business year opens. Which made me wonder: How much gas do guys like Gore usually have left in the tank?
Gore is the 10th back who has racked up 10,000 rushing yards with a team — his original team, that is — and then switched jerseys. As you can see in the following chart, the other nine haven’t exactly run wild in their new surroundings. So if Frank has a productive couple of years in Philadelphia, he’ll shoot to the top of this list:
| Years | Rnning back | 1st Team | Yards | 2nd Team | Yards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-14 | Steven Jackson | Rams | 10,138 | Falcons | 1,250 |
| 2001-11 | LaDainian Tomlinson | Chargers | 12,490 | Jets | 1,194 |
| 1990-04 | Emmitt Smith | Cowboys | 17,162 | Cardinals | 1,193 |
| 1969-79 | O.J. Simpson | Bills | 10,183 | 49ers | 1,053 |
| 1977-88 | Tony Dorsett | Cowboys | 12,036 | Broncos | 703 |
| 1996-04 | Eddie George | Titans | 10,009 | Cowboys | 432 |
| 1998-10 | Fred Taylor | Jaguars | 11,271 | Patriots | 424 |
| 1972-84 | Franco Harris | Steelers | 11,950 | Seahawks | 170 |
| 1988-00 | Thurman Thomas | Bills | 11,938 | Dolphins | 136 |
| 2005-14 | Frank Gore | 49ers | 11,073 | Eagles | TBD |
Jackson, of course, was cut last month by the Falcons. If he can find another job though, he could push his total higher. He’ll be 32 next season — the same age as Gore.
At any rate, no club should have very high expectations when it acquires a back like this. The best rushing season any of them has had with in his Second Life is 937 yards (Smith, Cardinals, 2004).
Source: pro-football-reference.com
Frank Gore hitting the hole hard, as he usually does.
