The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced 26 Modern-Era Player semifinalists for the Class of 2026, and San Francisco 49ers alumnus Frank Gore is among the names moving forward in the selection process.
Gore is a five-time Pro Bowl selection and a member of the Hall of Fame's All-Decade Team of the 2010s. Over his 16-year career, he appeared in 241 games with the 49ers, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and New York Jets, totaling 16,000 rushing yards and 81 touchdowns. He added 484 receptions for 3,985 yards and 18 receiving touchdowns.
His 16,000 career rushing yards rank third all-time, trailing only Hall of Famers Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton. He also ranks third in career rushing attempts with 3,735.
Gore holds numerous franchise records with the 49ers, including most rushing yards (11,073), rushing attempts (2,442) and rushing touchdowns (64). His 13,956 yards from scrimmage as a member of the 49ers trail only Jerry Rice in team history. He remains the only running back in franchise history to record four straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons, accomplishing the milestone twice.
A member of the 49ers 10-year club, Gore earned the Bill Walsh Award in 2006 and 2010, recognizing the player who best exemplifies the standard of professional excellence set by Walsh.
Below are next steps as outlined by the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
"The next step in the Moden-Era Players category will be a cut to 15 Finalists late this year. Reduction voting also has occurred in the Coach, Contributor and Seniors categories. The results of those ballots – selection of Finalists for the Class of 2026 – will be announced Dec. 3. In all, 20 Finalists will be presented at the Selection Committee's annual meeting next year in advance of Super Bowl LX: the 15 Modern-Era Players plus three Seniors, one Coach and one Contributor. While there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the Hall of Fame's selection process bylaws currently stipulate that between four and eight new members shall be selected. This year's voting will be completed with oversight from the firm Ernst & Young LLP, a Hall partner since 2019. EY's Agreed-Upon Procedures include validating the completeness of the ballots and tabulating the ballots in accordance with the bylaws established by the Hall of Fame's Board of Directors. The Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026 will be announced at "NFL Honors" in San Francisco in February and enshrined in August in Canton."
