On April 6, the NFL released the 2010s All-Decade Team for offense, defense, special teams, and coaches.
Unfortunately, the only Indianapolis Colts player or coach on the 53-player and two-coach All-Decade Team is Frank Gore:
The NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team Offense! pic.twitter.com/Yrd8VshcVU
— NFL (@NFL) April 6, 2020
The NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team Defense! pic.twitter.com/kRyIiiuTEH
— NFL (@NFL) April 6, 2020
The NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team Special Teams! pic.twitter.com/ptXbkOuGIv
— NFL (@NFL) April 6, 2020
The NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team Coaches! pic.twitter.com/RpSobjcCRa
— NFL (@NFL) April 6, 2020
After a decade with the San Francisco 49ers, the five-time Pro Bowler signed a three-year, $12 million contract with the Colts.
Gore had a large workload with the 49ers.
He produced impressive rushing yard totals with a high number of touches.
In five of his first 10 years in the league, he was in the top 10 in touches.
He also was a top-10 rusher in five seasons with San Francisco.
2015
32-year-old Gore entered his first year with the Colts, but Andrew Luck played just seven games that season.
Gore had played all 16 games in each of his last four seasons, and he continued that trend this year.
In 2015, the five-foot nine-inch Miami product was a top-10 rusher for the fifth consecutive season.
His 967 rushing yards that season broke his streak of four straight years with 1,100 yards.
Gore’s strong season hit a speed bump in Week 15 against the Houston Texans though.
After rushing for 98 yards and a touchdown against Brian Hoyer and the Texans in Week 5, Gore had a less impressive late-season rematch.
Brian Cushing, J.J. Watt, and company held him to just 44 rushing yards on 16 attempts, as the 6-8 Colts dropped their third consecutive game.
Then, Gore bounced back to rush for two touchdowns and more than 4.7 yards per carry in the final two games, both of which were victories.
However, the loss to Houston proved costly for the 8-8 Colts, as they missed the playoffs.
The second-place Colts finished just one game behind the 9-7 Texans.
2016
Gore bumped up his production the following year for most likely his last 1,000-yard NFL season.
In their only full year together, Luck and Gore accomplished a top-10 offense, which was sandwiched between bottom-five finishes.
Gore ranked seventh in touches in 2016.
The workhorse back also brought in a career-high four touchdown passes.
He kept playing hard throughout the end of the season yet again, as he took a season-high 26 carries for 101 yards in the Colts 34-6 victory at Minnesota in Week 15.
He then had a season-high 5.54 yards per carry in the 33-25 Week 16 loss at Oakland.
The early deficit and Gore’s third quarter fumble hurt his performance in Raiders game though.
The season ended in a similar way as 2015: the Colts won their Week 17 contest to move to 8-8 and yet again miss the playoffs.
2017
Gore’s bad luck as a Colt continued the following year, as Luck missed the season.
Luck’s season-long absence due to a labrum tear led to Gore having to line behind yet another quarterback.
Jacoby Brissett became the fifth Colts quarterback to start a game with Gore in the backfield.
Even in these difficult circumstances, Gore kept rushing the ball and was among the league’s top 10 in rushing attempts yet again.
He put together his 12th consecutive season of more than 1,200 yards from scrimmage, but the 4-12 season led to Chuck Pagano’s firing.
Coincidentally, it was Gore’s final year with the Colts.
Gore, who is now entering his 16th NFL season with the third-most rushing yards in NFL history, had an interesting three years in Indianapolis.
The Colts had made the playoffs in each of the three years before Gore was signed, but then missed the postseason three seasons in a row.
The three-year playoff drought was the Colts’ longest since 1988 to 1994.
If Gore had played in Indianapolis for any other recent three-year stretch, he could have made a significant impact on a Colts postseason squad.
Gore, who played in all 48 of the Colts games in his three years, did not have the best timing, but the All-Decade player has had an incredible NFL career.
Leave a Reply