Gore's mother, Liz, died yesterday afternoon, and he briefly visited the 49ers' training complex today before leaving to be with relatives in California. He still intends to play in San Francisco's game at St. Louis on Sunday, but probably will head home to Miami afterward.

"I think that Frank feels that his mother would want him to do his job," 49ers coach Mike Nolan said. "Frank knows that. I think that's where he'll put his attention when it comes to Sunday's game. I'm sure it's hard for him to get focused with what happened."

Gore was extremely close to his mother, who raised three children on her own despite chronic kidney disease. She went on dialysis when Gore was in the 11th grade, waiting several years for a kidney transplant.

Her son was a record-setting running back in Coral Gables, Fla., before an injury-plagued career at the University of Miami. Gore said he left the Hurricanes one year early to provide for his mother and family.