Who is Derrick Gore? Meet Chiefs running back breaking out in Kansas City's backfield

Zac Al-Khateeb

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Who is Derrick Gore? Meet Chiefs running back breaking out in Kansas City's backfield image

NFL fans watching the "Monday Night Football" game between the Chiefs and Giants heard a familiar name called during the second of Kansas City's two first-half touchdown drives: Derrick Gore.

The first-year running back waited for the "Monday Night Football" stage to score his first career professional touchdown, one that gave the Chiefs a temporary 14-7 lead. Because of his name — and the fact he's eating Darrel Williams' touches — people could only ask, "Who is Derrick Gore?"

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Sporting News has everything you need to know about the first-year running back with the "Monday Night Football" breakout:

Is Derrick Gore related to Frank Gore?

No, Derrick Gore is not related to Frank Gore. NFL fans could be forgiven for the assumption, however, considering the former's position and the latter's longevity in the league: Frank Gore played 16 years as a running back in the NFL, finishing his most recent season in 2020 with 653 yards and two scores — at the age of 37!

Frank Gore does, however, have a son; he just doesn't play in the NFL (yet). That would be Frank Gore Jr., currently at Southern Miss. The second-year running back has combined for 1,234 rushing yards and three touchdowns in 18 career games through the 2021 season. He also has 26 receptions for 257 yards and another score.

Frank Gore Jr., born in March 2002, is 19 years old. Derrick Gore is 26 years old, having been born Dec. 13, 1994.

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Where did Derrick Gore go to college?

Gore split time at two different colleges, playing at Alabama in 2015 and '16 before transferring to Louisiana-Monroe for the 2017 and '18 seasons.

Gore played sparingly for the Crimson Tide, combining for 24 rushes, 108 yards and a score across nine games through those two seasons. He played considerably more for the Warhawks, playing in 12 games both seasons he was there. He combined to rush for 1,247 yards and 12 touchdowns in Monroe, adding 34 receptions for 254 yards and a touchdown.

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Derrick Gore stats

Gore entered the NFL in 2019, though this is the first year he has made an NFL roster. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent, spending time on the Chargers' and Washington Football Team's practice squads.

Kansas City signed him on Feb. 26, 2021, marking him as a first-year running back despite being in the league for a few years. He entered his first game in Week 6 of the 2021 NFL season against Washington, but did not log any stats. The following week, he got his first NFL carry in a 27-3 loss to the Titans. It went for 7 yards.

Gore's "MNF" game against the Giants, then, is the biggest game to date of his NFL career. He has 10 carries for 47 yards and a touchdown through Kansas City's first drive of the second half.

That gives Gore 11 carries for 54 yards and a score in his first two games. Not too shabby.

This story will be updated with Gore's final stats.

Zac Al-Khateeb

Zac Al-Khateeb Photo

Zac Al-Khateeb has been part of The Sporting News team since 2015 after earning his Bachelor's (2013) and Master's (2014) degrees in journalism at the University of Alabama. Prior to joining TSN, he covered high school sports and general news in Alabama. A college sports specialist, Zac has been a voter for the Biletnikoff Award and Heisman Trophy since 2020.