The Undefeated

FRANK GORE: RESILIENCY REWARDED

Frank Gore is a 2012 NFC champion and five-time Pro Bowler who just completed four straight seasons with over 1,000 yards rushing in his starting position as running back for the San Francisco 49ers. Why should someone who has already had so much professional success be profiled here? Quite simply, he personifies the term “undefeated” and the characteristics that are almost always associated with it … hard work, determination, resilience, accountability and commitment, to name a few.

Gore had to overcome numerous hardships in the first 24 years of his life. He grew up on welfare in a rough neighborhood in Miami, FL as the son of a single mother who suffered from kidney disease and started dialysis Gore’s junior year in high school. He struggled with dyslexia as a child and knew his football prowess was the best – and likely only – chance to change his own fortunes and his family’s. Highly recruited out of high school, Gore attended the University of Miami where he was offered a scholarship and could be near his ailing mother. He had a break-out season as a true freshman on Miami’s 2001 National Championship team. However, a torn ACL in early 2002 and the ensuing surgery and recovery prevented him from reaching his full potential in college and almost certainly resulted in his being overlooked in the first two rounds of the NFL draft.

To date, Gore has spent all 10 seasons of his professional career with the 49ers since being selected 65^th in the 2005 draft. He had a solid first season but afterward had to undergo major surgery on both shoulders. Undaunted, Gore returned to the field as the starting running back in 2006 and set the single-season 49ers records for both rushing yards and combined (rushing & receiving) yards and led the NFC and was 3^rd overall in the NFL for rushing. He was rewarded with a 4-year, $28 Million contract far exceeding the $450,000 owed to him in the final year of his original 3-year contract.

At the beginning of the 2007 season, as Gore was soaring professionally, tragedy struck in his personal life with the passing of his 47-year-old mother in September and the murder of his childhood friend, college teammate and fellow Pro Bowler Sean Taylor in November. Despite these devastating setbacks and despite missing the entire pre-season due to a broken bone in his hand, Gore was able to amass over 1,000 yards rushing during an otherwise unspectacular season for the 49ers. For several more years this trend continued with Gore achieving personal success while his team struggled. Finally the organization gelled and went deep into the 2011-2013 post seasons before sputtering again in 2014, after which Gore became a free agent.

A loyal team player, Gore waited to learn the fate of Jim Harbaugh, his coach for the last four years, and other key teammates before deciding about his own future. With the framework of the only professional organization for which he has ever played cracking, he has exercised his free agency and received lucrative offers. Initially in negotiations with the Philadelphia Eagles, Gore now has reached an agreement with the Indianapolis Colts, reportedly signing a 3-year $12 Million contract with $7.5 Million guaranteed. All of this interest in Gore comes just shy of his 32^nd birthday following a ten-year career in which he shows no signs of slowing down or resting on his laurels, though one could hardly blame him after a decade of professional achievements and with financial security for himself and his family assured. He has stayed true to the qualities that led to his success despite a challenging start in life, physical and emotional setbacks and many seasons on a losing team.

Today Gore is in control of his very bright future. Described repeatedly in articles as positive, passionate, persistent and tough, a team player and a leader, it seems there is not a better or more deserving athlete to be in this position than Frank Gore.