Frank Gore Had Fired-Up Message After Son Joins Bills as Undrafted Free Agent

Kristen Wong | Apr 28, 2024

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Frank Gore, best known for his San Francisco 49ers playing days in which he rushed for 16,000 career yards, earned five Pro Bowl nods, and cemented his spot as a future Hall-of-Famer, became something else this past weekend: The ultimate proud dad.

Frank Gore Jr., son of the 49ers legend, didn’t get to hear his name called during the 2024 NFL draft. Not long after, however, the Southern Mississippi running back reportedly inked a contract with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent. 

The elder Gore took to Instagram to support his son, posting a picture of Gore Jr. in Bills gear along with the caption, “HERE WE GO WE COMING.”

Like father, like son. #Bills

Frank Gore ➡️ Frank Gore Jr. pic.twitter.com/cOkHCrmlAL

— Bradley Gelber (@BradleyGelber) April 28, 2024

Gore, who was drafted in the third round by San Francisco in 2005 and briefly played for the Bills in 2019, had an emotional —and saucy—response upon hearing his son would be joining Buffalo.

“We’re good. We're going to Buffalo man to do our thing. Tell them they better be ready—trust me,” Gore told CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson on Saturday. “I know what I’m raising. Folks slept on my son; they slept on me too—they'll see. My bloodline is for real. Our (pre-draft) testing was identical. All the scouts were like you can tell that’s my son… Buffalo got a dog, I promise you that. I don’t give a ---- about a draft pick.”

Gore went on to praise Bills coach Brandon Beane, calling him “the real deal.” 

In Gore Jr.’s four-year career at Southern Miss, he logged 4,022 rushing yards and 26 rushing touchdowns, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons in his final two years and was named second-team All-Sun Belt twice during that span. 

At Buffalo, the younger Gore will have quite large shoes to fill, considering his father was 36 years old and in the twilight years of his 16-year pro career when he rushed for 599 yards with the Bills. In 2024, Gore Jr. is expected to take a backup role to Bills starter James Cook and will have a long way to go before even sniffing his father’s rushing mark, which is good for third-most all-time behind Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton.