Getty Running back Derrick Gore of the Kansas City Chiefs carries the ball as defensive end Kenny Willekes of the Minnesota Vikings defends during the preseason game at Arrowhead Stadium on August 27, 2021.
The Kansas City Chiefs had one player, in particular, stand out for them on offense during their Week 8 game against the New York Giants, and it’s a player no one expected: Derrick Gore.
Gore, who was been active for just two games this season, received the bulk of the carries for Kansas City in the prime time showdown on Monday, November 2. In the first half, Gore led the team with nine carries for 48 yards — 5.3 yards per carry — and one touchdown, which was the first of his NFL career.
#Chiefs RB Derrick Gore scores his first career TD.
Gore’s stats tonight:
9 rushes, 48 yards (5.3 YPC), 1 TD
Gore was playing so well that he was mistaken for a future Hall of Fame running back by Hall of Famer Michael Strahan on ESPN’s alternate telecast on ESPN2 featuring Peyton and Eli Manning.
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Strahan: Is That Frank Gore?
During the second quarter of the Chiefs-Giants matchup, Kansas City’s offense was marching down the field en route to their second touchdown of the game. On that drive, Gore was running well, which prompted Strahan to mistake Gore for another running back with the same last name: Frank Gore.
“Hold on, is that Frank Gore?” Strahan jokingly asked.
Michael Strahan: “Hold on, is that Frank Gore?”
Peyton: “It’s Derrick Gore.”
Strahan: Could be Frank’s son, maybe
While funny, a reminder that Frank’s son does indeed play college football and we are all that old
While Strahan clearly knew that Frank Gore was not taking carries for the Chiefs and it was in fact Derrick Gore, Strahan’s comments speak volumes to how well Gore was playing. On that drive specifically, he had four rushes for 23 yards and the touchdown.
Derrick Gore running hard tonight for the #Chiefs
Careers of Frank Gore, Derrick Gore
Frank Gore is a 16-year NFL veteran that has accumulated 3,735 rushing attempts, 16,000 rushing yards (4.3 yards per carry), and 81 touchdowns during his career. Gore is third all-time in career rushing yards, which speaks to why he is a future Hall of Famer. His reliability as a rusher has proven to be valuable as recently as last season, when he ran the football 187 times for 653 yards and two touchdowns with the New York Jets at 37 years old, per Pro Football Reference.
Derrick Gore’s career resume isn’t as decorated, however. After coming out of Louisiana-Monroe as an undrafted free agent in 2019, Gore played on the Los Angeles Chargers, practice squad along with the Washington Football Team’s before joining Kansas City in February, per the team’s website.
After a rough outing during the preseason opener against the San Francisco 49ers in which Gore totaled eight yards (six rushing, two receiving), the second-year back took the reigns in the backfield for the remainder of the preseason. In Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals, Gore ran the ball eight times for 54 yards — which led the team. Then in the preseason finale against the Minnesota Vikings, Gore had 106 total yards (26 rushing, 80 receiving) and one receiving touchdown. He led all Chiefs pass-catchers in receiving yards that game.
Gore’s play this summer was good enough to make Kansas City’s practice squad come September. He remained there until the Chiefs needed more running back depth in wake of Clyde Edwards-Helaire landing on injured reserve. In the two games since signing to the active roster on October 12 and prior to the Chiefs’ Week 8 game, Gore played just three percent of Kansas City’s offensive snaps, registering one catch for seven yards in Week 7 against the Tennessee Titans.