Fansided

25 best NFL running backs of the 21st century

By Brad Weiss

Charger RB LaDainian Tomlinson runs down the field as the San Diego Chargers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 20 - 9 on December 17, 2006 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA. (Photo by Tracy Frankel/Getty Images)
Charger RB LaDainian Tomlinson runs down the field as the San Diego Chargers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 20 - 9 on December 17, 2006 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA. (Photo by Tracy Frankel/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 20: Frank Gore #21 of the San Francisco 49ers rushes for a 20-yard gain, giving him over 1,000 yards rushing in eight seasons, during the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi Stadium on December 28, 2014, in Santa Clara, California. The 49ers defeated the Cardinals 20-17. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 20: Frank Gore #21 of the San Francisco 49ers rushes for a 20-yard gain, giving him over 1,000 yards rushing in eight seasons, during the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi Stadium on December 28, 2014, in Santa Clara, California. The 49ers defeated the Cardinals 20-17. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images) /

25 best NFL running backs of the 21st century

player. 42. . . . Frank Gore. 4

The most incredible thing about the longevity that Frank Gore has had at the NFL level was the fact that he suffered two ACL tears during his time with the Miami Hurricanes in college. The two injuries to his knees hurt his draft status, but he was eventually taken in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers.

That began what would become a 16-year career that sent him from San Francisco, Indianapolis, Miami, Buffalo, and finally the New York Jets. Across that time, Gore would continue to rise up the all-time rankings when it comes to the NFL rushing records, and currently is No. 3 all-time in rushing yards in NFL history.

Gore has gone for over 1,000 yards nine times in his career and had at least 850 yards in three more. For his career, Gore racked up an astonishing 16,000 rushing yards, carried the football 3,735 times, and scored 81 touchdowns on the ground. If you count his receiving touchdowns, Gore came up one short of 100 for his career, and in the history of the NFL, no running back has made more starts.

The veteran back retired after the 2000 season, but he played so long that his son Frank Gore Jr., is currently playing at the collegiate level. Gore was a five-time Pro Bowl player, and a mainstay for many organizations, but will forever be known for his long and dominant NFL career.

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