We had the opportunity to sit down with San Francisco 49ers legend Frank Gore on Friday, thanks to his sponsorship with Lowe’s. Frank teams up with Lowe’s to help support the Earn Your Sundays Trailer, where they do giveaways, have Madden Games, and test your football skills.
Gore’s title with the Niners is “Football Personnel Advisor,” which could mean anything. Gore shared with us what his job entails:
Anything. I look at NFL guys. I study college guys. I talk to our players, tell ‘em how I feel and what they need to work on. That’s about it.
Gore said his passion was always watching talent. For now, his plan is to keep growing and learning in his new role.
As for what Gore looks for when watching collegiate players, it’s more about the process than what the box score shows:
I look for stuff that would work in the NFL. When a running back in college has real big holes and they don’t have to work for anything, they might struggle in the NFL. I look at tape like, how do they work in small spaces, how is their burst, how do they attack in pass protection, do they shy away, you know what I mean? That’s how I judge it.
Judging players by the box score is how you fall in love with an Ohio State running back rushing for 331 yards in the 2020 Big Ten Championship game, and ignoring everything the work that was done leading up to that game.
We asked what the difference was between preparing for Sundays as a player compared to watching the game without being able to step onto the field. The transition from player to a member of the front office hasn’t been a struggle for Gore, but he still watches games every Sunday, wishing he could help.
The difference is…You know how you want your team to win? When I was playing, I’m out there. Now, I’m not out there. So I have to keep wishing and praying that somebody makes a play. When I was playing, I knew I could make a play. When I’m watching the game, and it’s a tight game, I want something good to happen so bad.
Not being able to help his team, even in his 40s, is the biggest struggle for Gore.
Getting back to the personnel side, we wondered what Gore appreciates the most about the scouting process when he’s traveling the country:
What I appreciate…when I go to a school and sit down and talk to a guy. You know, when I hear some of the things that they go through and overcome stuff, it kinda reminds me of myself.
How much they love the game. When I ask them about how they prepare themselves, the offseason. When they tell me they have this training or that. It’s football day in and day out. That’s what I love about it.
When I watch the tape and the guy is a baller…prime example, when I went to LSU and met Malik Nabers. When I first watched his tape, I’m like, man, I wanna go watch that kid live. When I watched that kid live, he was amazing.
When I talked to him, I was like, That’s why he’s the top guy. He’s competitive. He wanted to be the best. When we talked 1-on-1, I had loved the guy. He wants to win. He wants to be the best. I love that.
Gore was going to get the opportunity to work in the NFL regardless, but he’s had a chance to work with Kyle Shanahan. We asked what Gore knows about Shanahan now that he didn’t know before joining the 49ers front office:
When I’m sitting in meetings with him, he’s smart man. As long as we got him, we have a shot. I don’t want our top guys to get injured, but as long as Kyle Shanahan isn’t injured and he can be there on Sunday’s we got a chance to get a W. He’s a smart coach. And he’s real cool.
I remember speaking with Jaquiski Tartt and Jimme Ward, and they always referenced how honest and upfront Shanahan was with them. That resonates with players. Gore sees the same with Shanahan:
He’s real. He’s the real deal. If I would have got two or three years with him, I probably would have got Emmitt Smith’s record. I respect Kyle a lot. He’s the real deal. We’re 4-2 without George Kittle..
I take my hat off to the general anager and the scouting department because they find them young guys who love the game of football. And they find ways to fight and get the W. That’s a plus to the GM and the scouting department.
The 49ers have drafted well in recent years now that they have their full allotment of draft picks. With that in mind, we asked Gore which player might be flying under the radar now, but is killing it in practice, who has a chance to really take a leap moving forward. And not so much in 2025 as in the next year or two.
After thinking about it, Gore came up with his answer:
I think…the d-lineman from Texas. He’s taking steps. I think he can be a big-time player. As he keeps going, I think he can be a big-time player. He made that play, it helped him a whole lot to show him that he can play in this league.
I asked Gore is it as simple as seeing the ball go through the hoop early for a rookie like Collins:
Yeah, you gotta have some success early. That’ll let you know that I can do this. That goes to our d-line coach. If you ain’t working, you ain’t playing. Our d-line coach is the real deal too. I’m gonna be real, I think Kyle has a great coaching staff. They do their thing.
Let’s be real, nobody expected us to be where we’re sitting at right now. Losing all of the names, young team, different team, and we’re finding ways to win. Everybody was like, “Mac Jones can’t do this,” and you see him now and you’re like Wow.
That’s why I say as long as Coach Kyle’s not hurt, we gotta shot.
We moved on to Christian McCaffrey, who is among the league leaders in receiving yards but near the bottom in rushing yards. Before I could finish my question, Gore said:
I’m not knocking our guys that are out there, but everyone is focused on him [McCaffrey]. You know what I mean? It’s gonna be hard. I’m being real. We don’t really have none of our guys really out there. Not knocking our guys who are out there with him. The NFL is tough to play.
But if you’re the only big name on the field, who are they going to come and stop? So I take my hats off to Christian. He’s finding ways to make plays and put our team in position for a chance to win games.
What makes Christian McCaffrey, Christian McCaffrey? What’s his A+ trait? Here’s Gore’s answer, who would know a thing or two about running backs: “I like everything. He can create in small spaces. He can catch the ball. He’s not afraid to block. He’s a complete back.”
Gore was complimentary about McCaffrey getting the “hidden yards.” He’s also impressed with McCaffrey’s work off the field:
Christian, man, me being around him and seeing how he prepares. How he trains, how he goes to practice. That’s why he has success. I know people are saying he’s getting older and all this, but when you prepare and work the way he works, you’re going to have a chance to be great on Sundays, no matter what. I respect that about Christian so much.
Whenever the topic of McCaffrey comes up, it isn’t long before the conversation of too much volume comes up. If Gore were coaching, would he give CMC as many touches as Shanahan does?
Me? You gotta let him touch it. Especially, me, knowing and being around Christian. OK, injuries, they are going to happen. But me seeing Christian and the way he works, I’m letting him touch the ball. Seeing him come to work everyday, I’m putting the ball in his hands.
Injuries have hit the 49ers at an alarming rate this season. But it’s a long year, and teams that peak in September and October often find themselves watching in mid-January. In Gore’s eyes, despite the injuries, the Niners are right on track:
For me, it’s perfect timing, baby! As long as we just keep finding ways to get wins and keep getting healthy. Then, that back end, we get ready and push for that playoff push. Everyone can come together and be one. It’s perfect timing.
That’s like when we went to the Super Bowl. OK, we’re fighting, we’re winning. I know my guy Alex got hurt. But we put Kap in and everything just changed. It just took off. Like perfect timing. It’s the same. We’re finding ways to win now with backups who are fighting their behinds off to make plays.
So I think we just gotta keep fighting the way we’ve been fighting. Keep playing for each other. And just keep getting healthy each week.
Injuries to the front line have provided some much-needed experience for the second and third-teamers on the roster:
Now we’re seeing our backups, and we’re seeing that they can play. When the stars come back, and also, the backups got the expierience in an NFL games, we don’t even care who is in the game. We want our stars, but if one of our guys get out, he [the backup] done made this play before. We’re OK to call this play. See what I’m saying?
Players like Kendrick Bourne have been lifesavers for this roster. But the rookies are getting valuable playing time, even with the mistakes. Those rookies will be called upon when the stakes are even higher as we get deeper into the season.
You can watch the full interview below:
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