Frank Gore Jr. joining the Buffalo Bills from Southern Miss isn’t just a remarkable narrative; it also presents a genuine opportunity for him to secure a spot on the team’s roster.

If sports fandom were hereditary, the Buffalo Bills’ following would likely qualify. In Western New York, backing the local football team isn’t just a choice; it’s passed down through generations, sometimes even celebrated with newborns being playfully initiated by being eased through a table. However, playing for the team is a more exclusive club. While many local families support the Bills, few can claim members who have actually played for them.

But the Gore family seems poised to defy this norm. Frank Gore Jr., formerly of Southern Mississippi, recently signed with the Bills after going undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft. This move aligns him with the same team his father, the legendary NFL rusher Frank Gore, played for during the 2019 NFL season. The senior Gore’s remarkable NFL journey is well-documented; despite entering the league with injury concerns in 2005, he defied the odds to craft a 16-season NFL career. He holds the record for the most games played by a running back (241) and ranks third in NFL history with 16,000 rushing yards.

While Buffalo might be just a footnote in Gore’s illustrious Hall of Fame-worthy career, the fact that his son is joining the team only five years after his own stint there is bewildering; it’s as if one can feel the wrinkles forming next to their eyes. This isn’t merely a case of a prospect joining a team his father played for ‘back in the day’; Gore Jr. will be playing alongside the same quarterback and under the same front office that his father did just a half-decade ago. It’s emotionally staggering but makes football sense, especially considering the state of the Bills’ backfield. Gore Jr. stands a real chance at making the 53-man roster.

Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports recently ranked the best undrafted free agent signings and landing spots of the 2024 NFL Draft process, placing Gore Jr. fifth on his list. Although not a complete prospect, Trapasso highlights Gore Jr.’s attributes, particularly his elusiveness, which make him a contender for a roster spot.

“At Southern Miss, he was incredibly difficult to tackle regardless of the direction of his runs,” Trapasso wrote. “With 757 career carries there, he forced 233 missed tackles, resulting in a missed tackle rate of 30.7%. To put that into perspective, Blake Corum, who has a similar build and was drafted in the third round, had a missed tackle rate of 22.6% on 676 attempts at Michigan.”

Initially committed to Florida Atlantic under Lane Kiffin, Gore Jr. switched to Southern Miss after Kiffin left for Ole Miss. He amassed 4,022 rushing yards over his four years in Hattiesburg, scoring 26 touchdowns and becoming the Golden Eagles’ third-all-time leading rusher.