Bills’ Frank Gore Jr. ready to follow in his father’s footsteps

“What are they saying? ‘Hey, hey, hey, hey,'” the Bills’ new running back said — or rather sang — Friday after the first day of rookie minicamp. “Yeah, I loved it.”

Gore was exposed to the Bills’ famous “Shout” song celebrations during the 2019 season when his father, Frank Gore Sr., spent his one and only season in Buffalo. Now, after signing with the Bills as an undrafted rookie free agent following last month’s NFL Draft, Gore Jr. will attempt to follow in his father’s famous footsteps.

“I loved it here,” said Gore Jr., who came to three games in Buffalo to watch his father play. “It’s one of the most enthusiastic places I’ve ever been.”

Gore Sr. ran for 599 yards and two touchdowns and caught 13 passes for another 100 yards in his lone season with the Bills. He also proved to be a valuable mentor to running back Devin Singletary, who was then a rookie.

Although his lone season in Buffalo was a mere footnote in what will likely be a career that ends with a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, playing for the Bills had a big impact on Gore Sr. Even though he currently works as a football personnel consultant for the San Francisco 49ers – the team he spent most of his playing career with – Gore Sr. actually wanted his son to join the Bills.

“Coming into the draft, this was the place we wanted to be,” Gore Jr. said. “My dad had nothing but good things to say about this organization. … He said they’re great people, he knows they’ll take care of me and he knows (running backs) coach ‘Skip’ (Kelly Skipper) will push me to be my best. He just talks about the people in this organization and (general manager Brandon) Beane and everyone around the organization.

Gore Sr. carried a chip on his shoulder throughout his career, feeling like he should have been higher than a third-round pick. He used that motivation during a career that spanned 16 years and included exactly 16,000 rushing yards in 241 regular-season games — the third most in NFL history.

“Was good. We’re going to Buffalo to do our thing. Tell them they better be ready, believe me,’ Gore Sr. told CBS Sports after his son signed with the Bills. I know what I’m raising. People slept on my son; they slept on me too. They’ll see my lineage is real.

Being overlooked is nothing new for Gore Jr. Although he had a decorated playing career at Miami Killian High School, he received little interest from Power 5 programs, with his only scholarship offer coming from Kentucky . That’s partly because at 5-foot-7 and 198 pounds, Gore is undersized, although for a running back, that matters less than at other positions.

Gore ultimately chose to attend Southern Miss for college, and he rushed for over 1,500 yards in his first two college seasons. He landed on the map as an NFL prospect as a junior in 2022, totaling 1,382 yards and nine touchdowns and adding 19 receptions for 219 yards. He also showed off his arm, completing 7 of 14 passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns.

Gore had an opportunity after that year to go to a Power 5 school, but never even considered it.

“I’m not one to chase everything the Power 5 schools offered me,” he said. “At Southern Miss, I had a great coach who prepared me to become the man I am today. Taught me a lot of things about life. I love my teammates and it was an opportunity for me to continue to grow as a person and a player, without distractions, away from everything and ultimately it worked.

Gore Jr. backed up his 2022 season with another great year in 2023. He rushed for 1,131 yards and 10 touchdowns and added 221 yards and three touchdowns as a receiver. His four-year total of 4,022 rushing yards ranks third in Southern Miss program history.

Despite this, the draft came and went without his name being called.

“I feel like there’s no chance that 257 people are going to be better than me in this draft,” Gore Jr. said. “But now that this process is over, I’m a Bill and I’m here to compete and I’m here to push my teammates and push the running back room.”

James Cook sits atop the Bills running back depth chart, and the team re-signed veteran Ty Johnson to a one-year deal this offseason. The team added Kentucky running back Ray Davis in the draft, so Gore Jr. will try to convince the coaching staff that the team needs to keep four running backs on the active roster — otherwise he’ll have to take Johnson or Davis .

“Keep working hard. Don’t ever let someone tell you what your future holds because they’re not in your shoes,” Gore Jr. said when asked what was the best advice he received from his father. “So come in every day with your head down, take steps forward, and don’t worry about anything you can’t control.”

Even though the odds are great for any undrafted free agent, Gore Jr. feels ready for his moment.

“My dad has been preparing me for this since I was about 14,” he said. “I try not to see it as a challenge. It’s a blessing. The steps he took helped me to be here today. I will say that it has calmed me down because I know I can always expect someone who has done everything I want to do in life.