When it comes to NFL running backs reaching the age of 30, it’s usually the player who tries to convince anyone who will listen that he hasn’t changed. For 35-year-old Dolphins running back Frank Gore, the player doesn’t need to make the case on his own.
“It’s irrelevant,” coach Adam Gase has said regarding Gore, via Hal Habib of the Palm Beach Post. “He’s a different dude.”
Gase experienced Gore in 2008, when Gase worked with the 49ers as an assistant coach.
“It’s been 10 years since we were together,” Gase said. “I mean it seems like forever. The guy looks exactly the same.”
He’s been performing almost exactly the same. While never rushing for more than 1,214 yards in any one season, he has been solid in almost every season, consistently putting together one of the most productive careers in NFL history.
This year, he’ll likely finish at No. 4 on the all-time list, passing Curtis Martin. Two more strong seasons could vault Gore past Barry Sanders at No. 3. Which would leave only Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton in front of Gore, and which would further cement Gore’s spot in the Hall of Fame.