Running back Frank Gore won’t play Sunday in the New York Jets’ season finale, meaning his likely Hall of Fame career could be over.
Coach Adam Gase said Monday that Gore sustained a lung contusion in the Jets’ Week 16 win over the Cleveland Browns, ending the season for the 37-year-old.
The Jets (2-13) are scheduled to play the New England Patriots (6-8) in Foxborough, Mass., on Sunday.
Gore, 37, hasn’t said whether he intends to return for the 2021 season, but last month — before the Jets got their first win — he acknowledged his career could end after this season.
“We’ve got to get one. You don’t want to go 0-16, especially since this might be my last year,” Gore said at the time.” I can’t go out like that.”
Gore carried the ball 14 times for a team-leading 48 yards on Sunday, giving him 16,000 rushing yards for his career. He trails only Hall of Fame members Emmitt Smith (18,355 yards) and Walter Payton (16,726) on the NFL’s all-time list.
Gore leads the Jets with 653 rushing yards on 187 carries with two touchdowns. He played in all 15 games — the 11th time he’s appeared in at least that many games.
Gore, who played collegiately at Miami (Fla.), was picked by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft. The Jets are his fifth franchise, following the 49ers (2005-14), Indianapolis Colts (2015-17), Miami Dolphins (2018) and Buffalo Bills (2019).
A five-time Pro Bowl selection, Gore rushed for more than 1,000 yards nine times in his career.
