NFL world reacts to Frank Gore's loss to NBA star Deron Williams

NFL world reacts to Frank Gore's close defeat to former NBA star Deron Williams in boxing showdown

Published Dec 19, 2021 17:48 GMT

Former running back Frank Gore in his first fight at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.

Running back Frank Gore has said he isn't giving up on playing in the National Football League. But as he remains a free agent this season, he has taken up a new career path and made his debut in the ring last night.

In his boxing debut, Gore fought former NBA All-Star Deron Williams in his debut at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. Gore lost the first fight of his new athletic journey, but there wasn't a shortage of support from the National Football League.

Former NFL players and head coaches all flocked to the arena to watch Gore, as well as the headliner of Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley.

Those who weren't in attendance took to Twitter to talk about the former running back in his boxing debut.

NFL world reacts to Frank Gore's close defeat

While Frank Gore is known for his abilities on the football field, he is still a novice in the ring. After the defeat to Williams on Saturday night, Gore had some thoughts about his first experience at competition.

Former and current NFL players tweeted as they watched Frank Gore in his inaugural fight.

San Francisco 49ers running back Raheem Mostert tweeted his feelings about the way that Williams fought Gore, even saying that his technique wasn't boxing.

There were also plenty of NFL sightings at the fight on Saturday night. Former NFL quarterback and now Michigan Football head coach Jim Harbaugh was on hand at the fight alongside his dad Jack and son Jay.

Former wide receivers Terrell Owens and Chad 'Ochocinco' Johnson were on hand to watch the fight in person. While Gore didn't win, his opponent, Deron Williams, said that his first fight was also his last fight, making his boxing career very short lived.

Unfortunately for Frank Gore, he did become an instant meme across the internet for his facial expressions after taking a hit to the face from Williams before the knockout.

Frank Gore had a successful 16-year NFL career, last playing for the New York Jets in 2020. Although he is 38 years old, which is older than most running backs, Gore hasn't given up hope at returning to the NFL.

After getting his first taste at boxing, everyone now questions what his next step will be: boxing or back to the NFL?

About the author

Bethany Cohen is an NFL writer at Sportskeeda, with a rich prior 15-year experience in the sports writing industry, primarily covering the MLB and MiLB. She majored in Communications from the University of South Florida and has previously worked for top companies such as Examiner.com and Legends on Deck.

Bethany owes her NFL allegiance to the Pittsburgh Steelers owing to their long-standing tradition and competitiveness. She is a fan of old stalwarts such as Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris and would love to watch them in the 1970s if she manages to get her hand on a time machine. She also acknowledges the greatness of modern icons like T.J. Watt for his desire to continuously improve despite being on top. She admires coaches Mike Tomlin and Andy Reid for their longevity and success.

The ace reporter credits her knowledge and love for the sport to be her biggest reporting strengths. Prior fact-checking is a big component of her process and she always scours through additional sources to ensure complete accuracy in her content.

Super Bowl XLIII, when the Steelers won the the grand prize after Santonio Holmes’ epic catch in the end zone with just seconds left on the clock is etched in Bethany’s memory forever. When she is free of her professional commitments, she likes to attend sports events and music concerts.

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