Will This Be the Last Play for San Francisco 49ers RB Frank Gore? [GIF]

Ever since San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore entered the league he has been one of the best and most reliable backs in the game. For the most part he could be counted on for at least 1,100 yards on the ground and a fair number of catches out of the backfield as well. Like many players he has missed time due to injuries, but he has always managed to come back and continue to play well.

However, after his latest injury you can't help but wonder if we have seen the last of the veteran back.

via Reddit

During the first half of Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks Gore tried to make a play on Seahawks Bobby Wagner. He managed to get in front of Wagner enough to make the block, but he ended up suffering a concussion on the play.

Concussions happen and many players have gone through the league's protocol and played on, but there is something about this injury that has some fans concerned.

The hit appears to be routine. There is nothing about it that appears to be concussion inducing. He had been taking some brutal hits on some of the previous plays so they could have factored in, but there is no way of knowing for sure.

Should he not be cleared this week with the 49ers out of the playoff hunt it would not be surprising if they shut him down for the season.

So why could this be the end?

For one, he is 31. He's at the age where running backs often decline and looking at his stats he certainly has. The difference is small compared to last season (4.1 yards/carry relative to 3.9 yards), but the year before he has 4.7 yards/carry.

Could his decline be more by design of the offense than him? Possibly, but we'll never know for sure.

The 49ers also appear to have his replacement in the form of Carlos Hyde. The Ohio State rookie has played admirably at times, and could very well explode if allowed to carry the load.

Gore is going to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. With his age, injury history, and dip in production the 49ers are not going to offer him much if they offer him anything at all. It is unlikely he will get a big money offer from anyone else.

So unless he wants to go to Running Back Graveyard (Oakland) this may very well be the end for Gore.

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