Every NFL team’s greatest running back of all time
By Randy Gurzi
Scouting Report. . 16. Pick Analysis. RB. 1988-99. Thurman Thomas. player
During the late 1980s and the early 1990s, the Buffalo Bills were one of the more dominant offenses in all the NFL. After originally spurning the team and heading to the USFL, Jim Kelly came aboard and became the best quarterback the team ever had.
Paired with head coach Marc Levy, Kelly and the Bills were a force in the AFC thanks to their fast-paced, no-huddle offense. They even made it to four consecutive Super Bowls during their heyday, but unfortunately for them, they lost all of those title games.
Even though they have no hardware to show for it, they did send several players from that era to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, including running back Thurman Thomas. Taken in the second round out of Oklahoma State in 1988, Thomas found quick success in the NFL. He rushed for 881 yards as a rookie before breaking out with 1,244 in his sophomore season.
That was the first of eight consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 yards for No. 34 and he also made five Pro Bowls in that stretch of time. In 1991, he was awarded the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award after picking up 1,407 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. That same season, Thomas had 631 yards and five touchdowns on 62 receptions.
His receiving totals in 1991 were impressive, but not out of the ordinary. Thomas was a well-respected pass catcher throughout his career and ended up with 456 catches for 4,341 yards and 22 touchdowns in his 12 seasons as a Bill.
For his career, he’s No. 1 all time in Buffalo history with 11,938 yards and 65 touchdowns on the ground. If that wasn’t impressive enough, he’s third in team history for receptions, sixth in receiving yards and 11th in touchdown catches.