Frank Gore Grapples With Winless Jets Finishing 0-16; 'I Can't Go Out Like That'

After the New York Jets lost to the Los Angeles Chargers, running back Frank Gore thought about his NFL future, hoping the Jets don't finish this season 0-16

When you've been in the National Football League for as long as Frank Gore has, there isn't much that you haven't experienced.

After all, we're talking about the third all-time rusher in NFL history, a 16-year veteran beloved across the league and a future Hall of Famer. 

For Gore, however, this season with the New York Jets has been unlike anything he's been through in the NFL so far. As his team fell to 0-10 on Sunday, falling short to the Chargers in Los Angeles, the 37-year-old mulled over the possibility that this could be his final season in the league he's called home since 2005.

Finishing an illustrious career on a team that goes 0-16? Gore said the possibility of finishing this season without a win is constantly on his mind. 

"We're thinking about that every day," Gore told reporters in a Zoom call after the loss. "We've got to get one. You don't want to go 0-16, especially since this might be my last year. I can't go out like that."

"I can't go out 0-16" pic.twitter.com/GtKdTExHvK

— Jets Videos (@snyjets) November 23, 2020

Gore, the ageless wonder, has been on some bad teams before. In his rookie season, for example, the San Francisco 49ers went 4-12. He was on another 4-12 squad in 2017 with the Indianapolis Colts.

The difference between the 49ers in 2005 and now, beyond how many different Star Wars films have been released since Revenge of the Sith came out earlier that year, is how much time Gore has left.

"It's tough because of the stage of my career," he explained. "I was younger in San Fran. I always felt like I got time. Now, I don't know if I'm going to play next year."

He may be the oldest player on the Jets, but Gore is still contributing. On Sunday, the running back found his way into the end zone—a one-yard score at the end of the third quarter—for the first time in a Jets uniform. The 80th touchdown run in his career puts the Miami native in 20th place on the NFL's all-time rushing touchdown list, now tied with the great Edgerrin James.

Frank Gore has now scored a rushing TD in three decades 🙌

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/kAaGQsHTVL

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 22, 2020

Gore led New York in rushing yards again on Sunday, setting a new season-high with 61 yards on 15 carries. It's the eighth time in 10 games this season that he's led those in green and white on the ground.

Even if he knows deep down that he'll continue to work his tail off and contribute, even into 2021 if he chooses to play another year, Gore admitted that he needs to be honest with himself about his future.

"I gotta be real with myself. Teams might not want a 38-year-old running back on the team," Gore explained. "If they really know me, they know I'll be okay if I want to play, you know what I'm saying? Because they know I'll give them my all in the offseason to get ready to help whatever organization wants me to be on their team. But sometimes it don't work like that."

Future aside, Gore can only do so much about his current club's record. He praised his teammates, noting that they come into work everyday and have improved as this year has progressed. When it comes down to it, however, everyone plays to win. That's what makes New York's record sting more and more after each loss.

"What I can say, what keeps me up is how these kids come in," he said. "I don't even want to say kids. The young men that come in every week to work and work their behinds off. That keeps me going. I know that they care."

Gore, with his 15,794 career rushing yards, may not catch Walter Payton (16,726) for second on the all-time list. Approaching his 38th birthday, it's safe to assume Gore won't pass Emmitt Smith (18,355) to become football's new rushing king. 

Even in his career's final fleeting moments, Gore acknowledged that he's making an impact on those around him, leading by example and passing down his experience to a young roster that's eager to learn and improve. He doesn't want to let those teammates down.

"We're not winning but I can at least show these kids, these young men, if I still go out here every day and work my behind off, they can do it too," Gore said. "So, I think that's probably what God got me here for. To keep showing these young men the way to work, to be pros and hopefully we just get a win."

The Jets have six more shots to win a game this season and it won't be easy. The only team they'll face the rest of the way that isn't in first or second place in their respective division is the New England Patriots (4-6) in Week 17.

Just know that no matter what happens, Gore will be giving everything he has to help this team get the job done. From practice to the field on Sunday. 

After 16 years, it's still all he knows.

"Like we always say, nobody's gonna give us nothing," he said. "We've got to go out and take it."

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