Overlooked for too much of his incredible career, there is no denying Frank Gore's place in history now.
The Colts running back passed Jerome Bettis and LaDainian Tomlinson on Sunday in Jacksonville to become the fifth leading rusher in NFL history.
The run that put Gore ahead of Tomlinson was fitting. He saw the Jaguars' loaded front blocking his intended hole and then cut back through an arm tackle for 16 yards, falling forward a few yards after contact. Sadly, the Colts' 30-10 loss and the lack of fanfare after the run was typical, too. (Gore finished with 61 yards on 13 carries on the day.)
So much of Gore's career has been about beating expectations after two torn ACLs in college and playing his heart out despite tough circumstances around him. (Gore has only played on three winning teams, all with Jim Harbaugh.) Tomlinson believes Gore will be a Hall of Famer and his new spot on the all-time list will help his case greatly. Gifted with a vision that seemingly allows Gore to see half a second ahead of reality, his climb to the top-five rushers in history is a study in consistency and vision. Even at 34 years old, Gore has a way of sliding away from hits to pick up extra yards on so many of his carries. He's started 104 straight games and Sunday's performance is a reminder that it's quite possible he winds up playing next year to pass Curtis Martin for No. 4 all-time.
"I don't know how many years I have left, but today, I'm here," Gore told NFL.com in August before another season of quietly moving the chains. "I'm going to enjoy it, you feel me?"