ESPN Snubs Former 49ers RB Frank Gore in All Quarter Century Team

Make this make sense.

Sep 9, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers former running back Frank Gore speaks to the crowd after being inducted into the San Francisco 49ers hall of fame during halftime against the New York Jets at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Make this make sense.

ESPN unveiled its NFL All Quarter Century Team, comprising the best players of the past 25 years, and somehow, former 49ers running back Frank Gore was not included on the team. Instead, the three running backs who made it were Priest Holmes, Derrick Henry and Christian McCaffrey. I kid you not.

Keep in mind, Gore leads all NFL players in rushing yards since the turn of the century with 16,000. He gained at least 1,200 yards from scrimmage for 12 straight seasons. He was the most prolific running back of the past quarter century. That's simply a fact.

Another running back who didn't make the cut is former Chargers great LaDanian Tomlinson, who leads all running backs in touchdowns since 2000 with 162. You'd think he would have made the team.

But this list didn't seem to value overall body of work, which is strange. Instead, it heavily weighted a player's best few seasons, which is how Priest Holmes made the team even though he had just three great seasons.

And with all due respect to McCaffrey, who is one of the most unique players of his generation, he has produced only four great seasons. I would think you'd have to be a bit more consistent and durable to make such a prestigious team, but it's not my list.

Imagine putting Tim Lincecum on the MLB's All Century Team simply because he was the best pitcher in baseball for two years. Wouldn't happen.

I'm thinking the running backs should have been Gore, Tomlinson and Derrick Henry. Adrian Peterson and Marshawn Lynch have arguments as well.