To most people, Frank Gore's Pro Football Hall of Fame credentials are unimpeachable.
The former 49er is third on the NFL's all-time rushing list and continues to plow ahead as he enters his 16th NFL season. NFL legend Marshall Faulk thinks it's a no-brainer that Gore will one day be enshrined in Canton.
And yet, some portion of fans believe Gore's longevity and the fact that he's never had a truly great season work against him in that argument. Former 49ers running back Tom Rathman doesn't have time for those people.
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“Those are guys that don’t know anything about football,” Rathman told 95.7 The Game's Jo, Lo and Dibs on Wednesday. “I mean, people that think that way, those are people that don’t have a clue what football’s all about. But I don’t think there’s any question that Frank Gore is going into the Hall of Fame. There’s no question. Anyone who plays as long as he has, and has done what he’s done in the league year after year, he keeps doing it playing at high levels -- and he’s still playing at a high level, ya know at this age.”
Rathman was Gore's running backs coach with the 49ers from 2009-14. He knows exactly the type of player Gore is and the hard work he has put in to remain in the NFL. Rathman, a fullback for the 49ers from 1986-93, has been around a number of Hall of Famers and knows Gore belongs in that class.
“I think that’s crazy,” Rathman said about those who think Gore doesn't belong in Canton. “I mean, there may be people that say that just to get it in their conversation. Because you have to evaluate each player and give the pros and the cons. Yeah there are gonna be pros. Yeah there are gonna be cons. But, I mean, obviously, the pros are gonna outweigh the cons, so when you come down to it you have to make a decision and I don’t think there’s any question what decision will be made.”
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Gore signed a one-year contract with the New York Jets in the offseason and is still going strong at age 37.
He's not ready to hang it up yet, but when he does, Canton surely will be waiting.
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