Frank Gore would ‘love’ a return to Miami Dolphins

For one of his fifteen NFL seasons, the running back with the third-most rushing yards in league history called the Miami Dolphins his team. Frank Gore, who played for Miami in 2018 before spending 2019 with the Buffalo Bills, rushed for 722 yards on 156 carries for the Dolphins over 14 games. Could his Dolphins rushing total increase with a return to South Florida in 2020?

If Gore has his way, it just might.

According to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson, Gore, when asked if there is a message he would like to pass to Dolphins general manager Chris Greier, replied, “I would love if he would bring me back.”

Gore, who will turn 37 in May, moved to third-overall in NFL rushing last year, passing Barry Sanders. He has 15,347 career rushing yards on 3,548 carries, giving him a 4.3 yards per attempt average, with 79 touchdowns. Last season with the Bills, he carried the ball 166 times for 599 yards and two touchdowns. Originally a 2005 third-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers out of Miami, he spent ten years in San Francisco before three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, followed by the one year in Miami and one year in Buffalo. The Miami native has been selected to five Pro Bowls in his career and was twice selected as a Second-Team All-Pro. He won a national championship at the University of Miami in 2001.

“I want to play,” Gore said this week. “I feel I showed people I can play when I got my opportunities. Just seeing if a team wants me.”

Miami moved on from Gore last year as the team looked to reset the salary cap and get a better look at the younger players on the roster. Miami ultimately traded Kenyan Drake during the season, then released Mark Walton following an arrest and saw Kalen Ballage struggle to find a rhythm before being injured. The Dolphins need depth and stability at the running back position, so the prospect of adding a veteran like Gore to a position group that will continue to be young in 2020 does have some appeal.

Would the Dolphins consider bringing back Gore, potentially letting him end his career in his hometown? It sounds like Gore would be open to the idea.