After 10 years of faithful service in San Francisco, running back Frank Gore left the 49ers for the Indianapolis Colts leading up to the 2015 season.
The veteran was looking for a change of scenery and a shot at a Super Bowl alongside quarterback Andrew Luck.
The season didn't go as envisioned, as Luck was often injured, leaving Matt Hasselbeck to start. And the Colts on Sunday wrapped the season at 8-8, and though they beat the Titans, they were eliminated from the playoffs.
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While Gore continued to reach milestones—he became the 15th player in NFL history with at least 12,000 rushing yards—it was a very disappointing year for him.
After the game, Gore vented his frustrations and addressed his future:
Gore, 32, is the 49ers' all-time leading rusher.
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In an interview with Stephen Holder of theIndianapolis Star, Gore explained the organization, especially general manager Trent Baalke, could have been more up-front with communication during the critical time in free agency when Gore decided to accept the Colts’ multi-year offer. The 49ers reportedly offered Gore only a one-year contract and a role as a backup.
Gore said he spoke with 49ers coach Jim Tomsula but did not have any conversations with Baalke. Gore and Baalke spoke on Dec. 22 in the 49ers' weight room and expressed mutual interest in extending the union between the 49ers and Gore.
[MAIOCCO: Gore: 49ers could've handled split better, 'let us compete']
"The only thing I was hurt by was that I thought we could have done it better," Gore said. "Like, no bull----. Just straight up. I don't know if I even wanted to go back. But I would have felt better if we would have sat down and had a conversation. I mean, I was going to test the market no matter what. Me and the head coach talked and he basically told me I'd be in a certain situation. But I wanted to hear it from the GM.”
Baalke declined comment to CSNBayArea.com through a team spokesman.