Who Is The Active Oldest Running Back In NFL?

The current active run back in NFL is Frank Gore of the New York Jets. He is closely followed by Darren Sproles, who is younger by a few months. Frank kick-started his sporting career in 2005 after enrolling with the San Francisco 49ers. He was drafted into the team with their 65^th pick in NFL’s third-round draft. He went ahead and played with them for 10 years before moving to Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and later New York Jets.

Having established that Frank Gore is the oldest active running back, let’s now understand who a running back is and his role in American or Canadian football. This article will also delve into the history and achievements of the current oldest running back in the NFL. 

Who Is A Running Back?

A running back is a player who typically lines up in the offensive position in the backfield in American or Canadian football. The primary responsibility of a running back is receiving handoffs from quarterbacks to rush the play. They are also responsible for catching passes emanating from the backfield and blocking the opponent’s passes.

While the game is playing, the number of running backs in the field might be one or two, depending on the team’s formation. A typical run back can also play the roles of a half back (tailback) or a fullback. 

The History Of Frank Gore 

Early Years

Frank Gore was born on 14^th May 1983 in Miami, Florida. He attended Coral Gables High school before transitioning to the University of Miami, where he natured his passion as a football player.

While in Gables High School, Gore established himself as a dependable running back by recording impressive performance against Miami Northwestern High School. He had a career-high of 293 yards and 2 touchdowns on 10 carries. In the next game, he recorded 319 yards, and six touchdowns in 13 carries against a team ranked highly in the nation. 

He shattered several records and was named among the best prospects before joining the University of Miami.

College Career

Gore attended the University of Miami through a scholarship under the head coach Larry Coker. His college debut came on 1st September against Nittany Lions. He had six carries for 15 yards, and Miami emerged with a 33-7 victory over Nittany Lions in that game.

As the years progressed, he improved tremendously and recorded impressive performances. His college statistics are given below:

Frank Gore	Rushing	Receiving
Season	Team	GP	Att	Yds.	Avg	TD	Rec	Yds.	Avg	TD
2001	Miami (FL)	11	62	562	9.1	5	1	14	14.0	0
2003	Miami (FL)	5	89	468	5.3	4	12	105	8.8	0
2004	Miami (FL)	12	197	945	4.8	8	10	106	10.6	0
Career	28	348	1,975	5.7	17	23	225	9.8	0

Professional Career

In 2005, Gore was selected by the 49ers and signed a 3-year contract with them on 28th July. He went ahead and played 14 straight games for them before suffering a groin injury but finished the season seventh among NFL’s novice running backs. 

He played in the team for ten years, recording superb performances before departing for Indianapolis Colts, where he signed a 3-year contract on 10th March 2015. He performed impressively for Indianapolis until the end of his contract before moving to Miami Dolphins on 22nd March 2018 and signed a one-year contract with them.

For the first time, in 2018, Gore never recorded a single rushing touchdown. At the expiry of his contract, he joined Buffalo Bills on 13th March 2019 and secured a one-year contract. Gore ran down his contract with the Buffalo Bills and joined New York Jets on 6th May 2020, penning a one-year contract. Though currently he is unsigned, he hasn’t retired from the game as he is searching for a new home.

The Achievements Of Frank Gore (The Oldest Active Run Back In NFL)

The impressive Frank Gore made it to the five Pro-Bowls and earned a selection to the Hall-of-Fame All-2010’s Team. His professional career has spanned 16 years, and he boasts 3,671 rushing attempts so far in his career. There are an additional 478 receptions for 3,954 yards and 18 touchdowns.

The decorated Frank Gore currently occupies number three on the all-time NFL’s rushing yard list. Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton are the only athletes ahead of him. He ranks 20^th in all-time rushing touchdowns, and he has an impressive record of rushing over 100 yards 43 times in his National Football League (NFL) career.

Frank Gore Career Highlights And Awards

Since Gore joined professional footballing in 2005, he has achieved numerous awards as listed below;

1. 5x Pro Bowl achieved in 2006,2009,2011,2012, & 2013.

2. Second-team All-pro achieved in 2006.

3. PFWA most improved player of the year – 2006.

4. PFWA All –NFC – 2006.

5. BCS National Champion- 2001.

6. NFC Rushing Leader- 2006.

7. Art Rooney Award – 2016.

8. NFC Champion – 2012.

Frank Gore The Philanthropist

Frank Gore contributes back to society through charity organizations, and Miami mayor Suarez noticed his actions and named 15^th April “Frank Gore’s Day.” The mayor also honored Gore with the “Keys to the City” title. In response, Gore dedicated the title to friends and family who underwent hard times with him during his hard childhood.

Gore’s Net Worth

The oldest active running back’s net worth as of 2020 was around $20 million and estimated career earnings of $62.24 million to date. Besides the playing career, Gore is also a brand ambassador for Xenith.

Frequently Asked Questions About Frank Gore

Conclusion

Although most running backs retire at the age of 30 to 33 years, Frank Gore has defied all odds and gives impressive performances at age 37. He is a true sportsman who values football and is not ready to quit the sport.