Gore (lung contusion) said Tuesday that he hasn't determined whether he wants to return to the NFL for a 17th season, Eric Allen of the Jets' official site reports. "I still have fun playing the game of football, but I haven't made a decision yet," Gore said of his future.
Before sitting out the Jets' Week 17 loss to the Patriots with a bruised lung, Gore had served as the team's primary running back throughout the season, compiling 653 yards and two touchdowns on the ground to go with 16 receptions for 89 yards. The 37-year-old has long been valued by teams as a mentor for younger players in the locker room, but his on-field productivity has been on the decline for quite some time. He's now averaged fewer than four yards per carry in five of the past six years, with his 3.5 average in 2020 representing a new career low. If Gore decides to keep his career going and finds an opportunity with a team in 2021, don't expect him to handle nearly as sizable a role as he handled with the Jets this past season.