Kyle Shanahan doesn't rule out return of former running back

38-year-old Frank Gore, who played college football at Miami well over a decade ago, could make a return to the NFL — after all, the veteran running back never officially announced his retirement.

The San Francisco 49ers have been dealt a tough hand with injuries to their running backs, as each of the top five running backs have been sidelined: first, Jeff Wilson Jr. tore his meniscus during OTAs. Then, Raheem Mostert injured his knee on his second carry of Week 1, forcing Mostert into a season-ending surgery. Now, JaMycal Hasty has a high ankle sprain, Elijah Mitchell is day-to-day with a shoulder injury and Trey Sermon — who appeared in line to take over bell cow duties in Week 1 — has a concussion and could miss time. With all the injuries in San Francisco’s backfield, head coach Kyle Shannahan did not fully rule out the possibility of bringing Gore gore back to San Francisco, the same franchise that selected him in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft.

“I would never put anything past Frank [Gore], Shanahan said Wednesday. “If we gave him a little heads-up and some notice, he’ll always be ready. We thought it was a little early for that. Guys still have a chance of playing this week.”

The 49ers signed another veteran this past week in Chris Thompson, but they placed Thompson on the practice squad. They signed Jacques Patrick off the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad, too, but he has also not yet been called up to the active roster.

“[We] would never fully rule that out,” Shannahan continued of Gore. “Don’t know exactly where he is right now. There are a number of people in here who have a relationship with him. If that time ever comes when we need to do it, and he wants to do it, we would never rule it out.”

Gore was once named a second team All-Pro running back in his second season with the San Francisco 49ers, the same 2016 season in which he amassed 1,695 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns, making him the NFC rushing leader. Known as a journeyman, longtime NFL back, Gore has played 16 seasons, ten with the 49ers, three with the Colts, and one each with the Dolphins, Bills and Jets. He made five Pro Bowls in his NFL career and racked up exactly 16,000 rushing yards along with 81 rushing touchdowns.

Gore grew up in Miami, and played college football at Miami, where he won a BCS National Championship with the Hurricanes in 2001. He has not played an NFL snap since last year with the Jets, and he is currently training to make his boxing debut, according to Pro Football Talk.