Frank Gore 'Would Love' to Return to Dolphins After 1 Season with Bills

Longtime NFL running back Frank Gore said Thursday he'd like to rejoin the Miami Dolphins after spending the 2019 season with the AFC East rival Buffalo Bills. 

Gore led the Dolphins in rushing with 722 yards in 2018, but the front office decided not to bring him back as it began a more intensive rebuild. Now the Miami native and former University of Miami standout is hoping he'll receive a call from general manager Chris Grier about a reunion.

"I would love if he would bring me back," Gore told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

He added: "I want to play. I feel I showed people I can play when I got my opportunities. Just seeing if a team wants me."

Gore opened the year playing an important role for the Bills. He received double-digit carries in each of the team's first six games, highlighted by a 109-yard performance against the New England Patriots.

His involvement decreased during the course of the season, though. He didn't record more than 10 carries in any of Buffalo's final five games, including a playoff loss to the Houston Texans, as the offense shifted more toward rookie back Devin Singletary.

Bills general manager Brandon Beane was noncommittal in regards to potentially bringing back the 36-year-old veteran, who signed a one-year, $2 million contract last March.

"To where he goes next, I'm not sure," Beane told reporters. "At the end of the year, a guy at his age—it was super awesome to watch him climb into third in the rushing stats. But we'll let him decide what he's going to do, and we'll self-inventory ourselves and make a decision."

"

The moment @FrankGore passed @BarrySanders to move into third on the all-time rushing yards list.  pic.twitter.com/avxZ7TQlMy

— NFL (@NFL) November 24, 2019"

Gore (15,347 career rushing yards) ranks behind only Emmitt Smith (18,355) and Walter Payton (16,726) on the all-time NFL rushing charts.

Although he's eager to continue his pursuit of the top spot, it's unclear what type of interest he'll receive after averaging just 3.6 yards per carry in 2019.

The Dolphins already have five running backs under contract for 2020 in Patrick Laird, Kalen Ballage, Myles Gaskin, Samaje Perine and De'Lance Turner, making it unclear they would be interested in bringing in another depth rusher. It doesn't look like a great fit on paper.

It's possible a team that selects a running back in the 2020 draft takes a look at Gore in a mentor role, similar to what the Bills successfully did with Singletary.

Gore earned five Pro Bowl selections during his decade with the San Francisco 49ers to open his career and is a Hall of Fame candidate, but he's merely a fringe roster player at this point in his career.