Tag: Frank Gore

Yes, Frank Gore Jr. is related to that Frank Gore

The son of an NFL legend will make his professional debut on Monday night.

The Buffalo Bills are calling up the son of an NFL legend for Monday Night Football against the New York Jets.

Running back Frank Gore Jr., the son of former NFL running back Frank Gore, is being elevated from the practice squad for Monday’s game.

Gore Jr. played at Southern Miss from 2020-23 and signed with Buffalo as an undrafted free agent in the spring. He didn’t make the 53-man roster but signed with the team’s practice squad after final cutdowns.

Now, Gore Jr. will get his chance to play in the NFL in primetime and follow in his father’s footsteps as a professional running back.

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Bills rookie Frank Gore Jr. on preseason: ‘I put my best foot forward’

#Bills rookie Frank Gore Jr. on preseason: ‘I put my best foot forward’

The Buffalo Bills played their final preseason snaps against the Carolina Panthers on Saturday in a 31-26 effort that came up short.

Despite the loss, it was a big day for the team’s undrafted free agent signee and legacy player Frank Gore Jr.

Like his Father, the junior Gore signed with Buffalo, and while Gore Sr. did so near the end of his career the second member of the family to wear a Bills jersey is doing so as his is just beginning.

To that end, he helped his case in the contest, putting up a touchdown and 101 Yards rushing via 18 carries on the day. He finished the preseason with Gore finished the preseason with a total of 163 yards on 33 carries and a 4.9 yards average per attempt.

“I can’t control it, so there’s nothing that I can really do about it. But I put my best foot forward every day during camp, during preseason,” Gore said after the exhibition about his roster chances. “So, whatever they decide, they decide. They’re going to do what’s best for the team, and I’ll be fine no matter what.”

The Bills rested their offensive starters as to not risk injury, opening a door of opportunity that Gore Jr. made the most of.

While it was a preseason contest and a number of the defensive players for Carolina were backups or depth players, the rookie rose to the occasion to make a strong case for a practice squad spot with Buffalo.

“I actually felt that I was doing good throughout the preseason. It was just everyone had to rotate, so like I really couldn’t get into a groove, because I’m used to playing in college all four quarters,” he added. “So, I was excited to come out here and be able to play like a full game again. So that’s what I was looking forward to when I was ready for.”

As the Bills prepare to kick off the regular season next Sunday they will name their 53-man roster along with a number of cuts and practice squad signings. 

His head coach had some good things to say about his play in the game, despite a slight knee roll injury in the final minutes.

“I thought he did some good things as well,” Sean McDermott said to the press. “It’s unfortunate that he went down towards the end of the game there, but ran hard, and gave us some juice in there.”

He also noted his development since arriving with the Bills.
“Yeah, probably just like most rookies – probably more and more comfortable as the training camp wore on, and then preseason one to two, and then two to three as well, and just getting more and more comfortable in our run game and our system.”

Gore will likely be among those who don’t make the 53-man roster, though being signed to the practice squad and even playing in the regular season aren’t improbable despite being behind RB1 James Cook, Cook’s backup Ty Johnson, and fellow rookie Ray Davis on the backfield depth chart.

Last season saw some injuries to the Bills running backs, and this year the team hopes the current group remains healthy. 

Gore could be cut due to the crowdedness at the position, or he could be added to develop on the practice squad and even get called up at some point should a roster spot open up and the need arise.

Time will tell as Tuesday’s roster cut deadline looms whether he’ll remain in Buffalo, but no matter the outcome another Gore running back wearing number 20 Bills jersey put on a display in a ground game performance.

“Of course, I feel like I belong in the league,” the rookie noted. “I don’t know where – I hope I’m here – but it really doesn’t matter. Like I said before, (general manager Brandon) Beane’s gonna do his best for his team, and hopefully someone’s seen something in me. So, really I’ll be fine, for sure. No matter if it’s this year, next year, the year after, I’ll be fine.”

Frank Gore visited Highmark Stadium to see son’s big game

A nice moment:

One former Buffalo Bills running back was on hand in Orchard Park to watch his son put together a big game on Saturday.

Frank Gore Sr., who formerly played for the Bills in 2019, was at Highmark Stadium watching Frank Gore Jr., for Buffalo’s preseason matchup against the Carolina Panthers.

While Carolina did win 31-26, Frank Gore Jr. stole some headlines. He put together a strong 101 rushing yards and added a touchdown.

As Gore Jr. walked off the field after the effort, one of the first people to congratulate him on his big game was his dad.

The nice moment which can be found in the clip below:

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Instant reaction: Bills create more roster questions with loss to Panthers in preseason finale

Instant reaction: Bills create more roster questions with loss to Panthers in preseason finale

The Buffalo Bills fell to the Carolina Panthers 31-26 in their final preseason game ahead of the 2024 season. The Bills faired well despite not playing any of their starters in this game.

The Bills offense finally found a pulse, scoring three touchdowns. Ben DiNucci helped end the preseason touchdown drought with an 18-yard swing pass to running back Darrynton Evans. Frank Gore Jr. had a breakout game, culminating with a five-yard touchdown run. To top things off, KJ Hamler scored a one-yard rushing touchdown.

Impressively, quarterbacks Ben DiNucci and Anthony Brown combined to go 22-of-27 for 156 yards and one touchdown. The duo did a nice job for a third preseason game, as the pair were not on Buffalo’s radar until a rash of injuries occurred in the quarterback room.

At the very least, DiNucci made a case to start the season as Josh Allen’s reserve.

Buffalo’s offensive line was solid throughout the afternoon. The group did a solid job of creating space for running backs and providing time for quarterbacks to throw. In particular, Sedrick Van Pran-Granger and Tylan Grable looked impressive at the point of attack.

The offensive line helped Frank Gore Jr. with his breakout game. Gore rushed 18 times for 101 yards and a rushing touchdown. He was elusive and decisive with his running. In addition, Darrynton Evans was shifty and did a nice job gaining extra yards throughout the afternoon. Evans had three rushes for 15 yards. However, Evans was impressive as a pass catcher, reeling in three receptions for 28 yards and a touchdown. Both players put themselves on the radar for, at the very least, a practice squad spot.

While DiNucci and Brown did a nice job with their limited time in camp, it did impact the receivers. Several receivers are fighting for a roster spot, and it was difficult to get the ball in their hands to show off their skills. Shavers did well in training camp, but he did not explode in preseason games. He just missed out on a touchdown reception, as a DiNucci pass just went off his fingertips in the end zone.

Zach Davidson has made his name known, earning extra snaps throughout training camp. The Bills TE3, Quintin Morris, has missed time due to a shoulder injury. Davidson did not have a massive stat line today, with three receptions or 19 yards. However, he had a nice catch and has shown he can compete at this level. It remains to be seen if Morris’ injury creates a roster spot.

Linebacker Joe Andreessen earned a large chunk of snaps today. He had an inconsistent game, as he did well with plugging holes and using his athleticism to move sideline-to-sideline. However, a miscommunication with Deion Jones allowed Jordan Matthews to be wide open for a touchdown. He was also blocked out of place on Mike Boone’s touchdown run. However, Andressen could still be the best option to provide depth for the linebacker group.

The Bills secondary, however, was torched multiple times. Some of the mistakes were mental, while others were just missed tackles. Buffalo allowed 340 yards through the air today. Outside of Ja’Marcus Ingram, it’s challenging to see if any of the depth secondary players who played today will contribute throughout the season.

Another concern connects to Tyler Bass. Bass was perfect for the first two preseason games, successfully making five field goals. However, Bass’ field goal miss was bad. It didn’t look good from the initial strike. Buffalo needs to work with Bass on getting his mojo back. Otherwise, the team will have massive questions when attempting field goals in the 50-55-yard range.

There’s still a lot to be decided by Tuesday’s roster deadline. Right now, it feels like there might be more questions for Buffalo now than when the team arrived at training camp at St. John Fisher.

The biggest concern today is that several of the bubble players did not have a performance that cemented their name into the final roster.

General Manager Brandon Beane has a lot to consider over the next 72 hours. It’s going to be a bit challenging to unpack as the team moves toward naming the final roster.

Iconic Wisconsin running back reacts to NFL legend saying he can rush for 2,000 yards

Can Jonathan Taylor rush for 2000 yards in 2024?

Wisconsin legend Jonathan Taylor reacted to future NFL Hall of Fame running back Frank Gore saying he can rush for 2,000 yards with the Indianapolis Colts this season on Tuesday.

Gore, who was selected to five Pro Bowls during his illustrious 16-year NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and New York Jets, recently told ESPN he believes Taylor can ninth player in NFL history to reach the rushing milestone.

“If he stays healthy, I won’t be surprised if he gets 2,000,” Gore told ESPN in an interview last week.”With his ability and with the way he moves, it’s crazy. I already knew he was fast. But what I like is how he moves in small spaces, man. I didn’t think he had that.”

Taylor, who left Wisconsin as a two-time Doak Walker Award winner and back-to-back unanimous first-team All-America team member, trained with Gore this offseason.

“He’s one of my biggest supporters,” Taylor told NFL commentator Kay Adams in Tuesday’s training camp interview. “That’s one person you want to have supporting you.”

The only other players to eclipse the number are O.J. Simpson (1973), Eric Dickerson (1984), Barry Sanders (1997), Terrell Davis (1998), Jamal Lewis (2003), Chris Johnson (2006), Adrian Peterson (2012) and Derrick Henry (2020).

“It’s been done before. It’s not like it’s crazy to think that no one has done before,” Taylor said. “Not to take anything from Derrick Henry. You guys know what he brings to the table.”

Prior to a pair of injuries in 2022 and 2023, Taylor amassed a remarkable 1,811 rushing yards in a historic 2021 campaign. He averaged over 100 yards per contest on the ground and rushed for 18 scores as well.

If the former Badger star remains healthy, he could certainly make history this fall. Plus, the addition of a healthy Anthony Richardson under the gun presents another offensive weapon for defenses to consider.

The Colts open the season at home against the Houston Texans on Sept. 8 with Taylor starting at running back.

Legendary RB will receive highest honor from 49ers

It’s about dang time.

The San Francisco 49ers on Thursday announced running back Frank Gore will be inducted into the Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame this season.

Gore’s induction will take place in Week 1 when the 49ers open their season against the Jets on Monday Night Football.

It’s not a surprise Gore finally made his way into the franchise’s Hall of Fame. He spent his first 10 NFL seasons in San Francisco where he became the franchise’s all-time leading rusher with 11,073 yards. He’s also the franchise’s all-time leader in rushing touchdowns with 64, and rushing attempts with 2,442.

Only Jerry Rice has more scrimmage yards in a 49ers uniform than Gore.

In total Gore racked up 16,000 rushing yards in his career to land at No. 3 on the all-time rushing list. After leaving the 49ers he spent time with the Colts, Dolphins, Bills and Jets.

Perhaps the most impressive part of Gore’s career is how productive he was on bad 49ers teams early in his tenure. Then when he should’ve started slowing down due to age he was productive for some very good 49ers clubs that made three consecutive deep playoff runs from 2011-13.

According to the team, 49ers Hall of Fame candidates “must have displayed one or more of the following qualifications: outstanding production and performance on the field, key contributions to the team’s success and/or the embodiment of the spirit and essence of the San Francisco 49ers.”

The team Hall of Fame should only be step one of a couple Hall of Fame inductions for Gore. He figures to someday be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as well, although he’s not eligible for that until 2026.

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Frank Gore Jr. recalls watching his dad play for the Bills

Already knows the ‘Shout Song’

Frank Gore Jr. has an uphill climb to make it to the Buffalo Bills final 53-man roster.

Gore signed with the Bills as an undrafted rookie free agent after not being picked at the 2024 NFL draft.

All UDFA players have a huge task in making any final roster so it’s not slight against Gore to say it’s going to be tough for him to make the roster. However, of all UDFAs that signed in Buffalo, he’ll be the one that could most-likely envision himself being on the field for a game one day.

There’s a simple reason for that. He’s already seen his dad do it.

Speaking at Buffalo’s rookie minicamp, Gore dusted off the Bills’ iconic “Shout Song” when discussing his experiences watching his dad play for the Bills. Gore said he attended at least three games at Highmark Stadium when his father was playing for the Bills in 2019.

Gore discussing seeing his experiences in Buffalo can be found in the WKBW-TV clip below:

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Today is the 10-year anniversary of Richard Sherman’s famous tip

A superstar was born and the Seahawks were on to the Super Bowl.

The NFL hasn’t seen a rivalry quite like the one the Seahawks and 49ers shared last decade. While they are still bitter division rivals, the animosity and the competition were on another level between these two when Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll were roaming the sidelines while Marshawn Lynch and Frank Gore were crashing into equally-lethal defensive fronts. The games were always close and intensely physical, the sobering sound of each tackle echoing an era of more brutal football.

10 years ago today was the peak of that rivalry – culminating in the 2013 NFC Championship game. Seattle clinched the win thanks to a tipped pass by Richard Sherman in the end zone that was intended for Michael Crabtree. A superstar was born and the Seahawks were on to the Super Bowl.

Fast forward a decade and Sherman is now a part of the media class he so relentlessly mocked during his career, Colin Kaepernick has been blackballed since 2016, Harbaugh is a distant contender to replace Carroll as Seattle’s head coach and nobody’s heard from Crabtree in years.

More Seahawks Wire stories

Ranking 4 free agents the Seahawks should re-sign in 2024

10 pending free agents Seattle should allow to leave in 2024

2024 NFL mock draft: 5 QBs come off the board in Round 1

Fred Taylor a Hall of Fame semifinalist for 5th straight year

Fred Taylor is one of 25 semifinalists for the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024. Is this the year he gets in?

Former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor is one of 25 semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024.

Taylor, 47, has now been a semifinalist in five consecutive years, but has never made it to the next round of the voting process. In January, the 15 finalists will be announced and the Class of 2024 will be formally introduced days before the Super Bowl in February.

During his 11 seasons with the Jaguars, Taylor accumulated 11,271 rushing yards, 2,361 receiving yards, and 70 total touchdowns. He later finished his career with two seasons as a member of the New England Patriots.

Taylor’s 11,695 career rushing yards are 17th most in NFL history behind 14 Hall of Famers and a pair of likely future inductees in Frank Gore and Adrian Peterson.

Only two players this year, former Chargers tight end Antonio Gates and former Panthers pass rusher Julius Peppers, are semifinalists in their first year of eligibility. Taylor is one of four running backs on the list, along with Tiki Barber, Eddie George, and Ricky Watters.

Also among the semifinalists is Torry Holt, who played 10 seasons with the St. Louis Rams before finishing his career with one year in Jacksonville. Holt has now been a semifinalist in 10 straight years and has been a finalist in each of the last four years.

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Frank Gore added to 49ers front office

Frank Gore is back in the #49ers organization.

49ers Hall of Famer Frank Gore is back with the team. San Francisco officially added their former star running back to their front office according to the Athletic’s Matt Barrows.

Gore doesn’t have an official title, but he will work as a football advisor per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. The move comes after Gore spent time with the club during their first couple days of training camp.

It’s not a surprise that the football-loving RB made his way back to San Francisco in some capacity. He’s been an outspoken supporter of the 49ers since he played his last snap for them in the final week of the 2014 season. He’s also expressed a desire to take on a front office role.

Gore left the 49ers and played for the Colts, Dolphins, Bills and Jets before hanging up his pads after the 2020 season. He finished his career with exactly 16,000 rushing yards – the third-most all-time. It feels right that he’s back in San Francisco now where he spent the first 10 years of his career and left as the franchise’s all-time leading rusher.

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