INDIANAPOLIS – Joseph Addai and John Riggins have some company in Frank Gore.
In the third quarter of Sunday's season finale against the Jaguars, Gore's 18-yard run pushed him over 1,000 yards for the season.
"It's a blessing," Gore said of his 62-yard afternoon that gave him 1,025 yards for the season. "Especially coming here (where they) haven't gotten it done since 2007.
"It is special to me because the guys up front who all have been here just hearing what they can't do and they proved people wrong, so it's real big."
The Hall of Fame career for Gore added another piece to his resume on Sunday.
Gore's 1,000-yard season earned him the following honors:
- Gore is the first NFL running back at the age of 33 or older to rush for 1,000 yards since John Riggins in 1984.
- Gore is the first Colts running back since Joseph Addai in 2007 to run for 1,000 yards and the eighth running back in team history to reach the 1,000-mark.
- With 1,000 rushing yards Gore joins Pro Football Hall of Famers Emmitt Smith (11), Curtis Martin (10), Walter Payton (10) and Barry Sanders (10) as the only players in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards in at least nine different seasons.
"He is a special, special guy," offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski said of Gore earlier this month. "I love Frank Gore. You can't say enough good things about him. If we all knew how hard and where he came from and the things he has done to be able to get to this point. There were probably a lot of odds stacked up against him but he has gotten here.
"He has great instincts, feet, he has everything. He has natural running ability; he is a natural running back. All the things along the way that he has done, he has gotten his degree from the University of Miami, he has done so many good things for the communities and places he has been. He has lasted for so many years to the age that he is, it's really unbelievable. His legacy is there; he is forever going to be one of the best that has ever played at that position. The beautiful thing about Frank is that you wouldn't know it talking to him. He still wants to prove himself, he still always feels like he can be better. You guys probably get a sense for it when you talk to him. He is just a special guy and it has been a privilege to coach him."
