Gore is going to get in, so this whole discussion is probably wasted breath. But he probably shouldn't (at least IMO). He ranked in the Top 5 in rushing once and never ranked in the Top 5 in rushing TD. That same season he was Top 5 in rushing, he had his lone season in the Top 5 in YFS. In terms of having many peak or dominating seasons, Gore doesn't have much to offer. He mostly has had a 15 year career being above average. And since leaving SF, he hasn't even been that (3.9 ypc. vs league average of 4.2 in that time).
At any point in his career, would any coach or GM of a team ever have thought that the one back in the league they wanted was Frank Gore? Would he have been one of their Top 5 picks? Top 10? As an example, would defenses rather have faced Barry Sanders or Frank Gore? I think that one is a pretty simple answer.
Put another way, can the history of the league be told without telling the Frank Gore story? I would say yes it could. He'll get in on a meritorious service basis for playing at a decent level for a long time. And someday I will tell me grand kids that Gore wasn't a terrible back for many years, and that's what got him into the HOF.
Yes, there have been coaches and GMs that felt the one back they wanted in the league was Frank Gore. Did they think he was a top 10 back at the time? No, but he is who they wanted. The 49ers drafted him, but the Colts, Dolphins, and Buffalo (Philly wanted him too, but he chose the Colts) all wanted Frank Gore, because he is a great player. He is consistent, a leader, a professional, and a teacher. They had youngsters at the RB position, and who better to groom and teach those players than Frank Gore. Frank can block (one of the best at it), run, and catch. He has a great understanding of the game, and how to play his position. His work ethic is outstanding. He also has great sportsmanship, which is why he won the Art Rooney Award in 2016.
The Frank Gore story is a good one. His dad wasn't in the picture when he was growing up. His mom raised him and his siblings as a single mother. She was also on dialysis, so Frank had to be the man of the family. He had to help her out, and grow up fast. Football helped relieve his stress and became his passion. He dreamed of playing college football, but he had a learning disability. He worked his butt off in high school with tutors and studying to pass the SAT to get in. He did it. He got to play college football, and then his dream was to play in the NFL. He tore both ACLs playing college football, but that did not derail his dream, and his great work ethic rose him above that bump in his journey. His college OC has said that Frank studied the playbook all the time, and had such a high football intellect that Frank sometimes had to correct the QB. His great work ethic has continued throughout his football career.
His training, which includes boxing, is legendary in the NFL. His favorite people to workout with are players that are younger than him. He says that makes them all better. Some of the young ones, and even his current GM, say he still has elite feet. His durability is phenomenal. He has only missed two games to injury since 2011. Most RBs have a short shelf life. He is now 3rd in NFL history with rushing yards. It doesn't matter that he reached that mark due to longevity. His longevity is absolutely amazing. His position is punishing, yet he is still grinding out the yards at 36.
He has been an all-around great NFL player. It's too bad you say that someday you will tell your grand kids that he got into the HOF because "he wasn't a terrible back for many years." His NFL career deserves more respect than that.