Thurman Thomas

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The Oklahoma State running back watched as team after team selected names other than his and with each name called, his disappointment was broadcast, embarrassingly live on network TV. After every team selected and he was passed up, finally, in the second round, with the 40th pick overall, Oklahoma State running back, Thurman Thomas, was picked by the Buffalo Bills. His embarrassment soon turned into anger, as Thomas vowed to go out and show every team that passed him up in the first round, that they made a big mistake. Thomas was passed over in part because of questions about his surgically repaired knee, he suffered a serious knee injury in his junior year.

"The condition of my knees going to be asked throughout the rest of my career," Thurman Thomas said the day after the draft. "I have all the confidence in the world in my knee. I don't even worry about it."

Chris Berman of ESPN said of Thomas, "If he plays five or six years, he has a chance to go to the Super Bowl."

In his debut against the Minnesota Vikings, Thurman Thomas ran for 86 yards and scoring the Bills only touchdown in a 13-10 Buffalo victory, the Bills first in a season opener since 1982.

"We haven't had that around here for a long time," Bills quarterback Jim Kelly said after the game. "It's nice to be able to run wide. On the touchdown he was patient, he stayed behind Ritcher, then made his cut."

Thurman shared time with veterans Robb Riddick and Ronnie Harmon, in his rookie season. He had solid numbers and on October 30, 1988 he had his first game topping the century mark in rushing yardage, gaining 116 on 23 carries against the Green Bay Packers in Rich Stadium, as the Bills won 28-0.

"As the season goes on, I think I'll get better and stronger with each game," Thomas said after the game.

He would finish his first year in the NFL with 881 yards on 207 carries for a 4.3 average, scoring two TDs. He also displayed a knack for catching the ball out of the backfield as he caught 18 passes for 208 yards.

Thomas' 1989 sophomore season was a huge success as he gained 1,244 yards, the most by a Bills back since O. J. Simpson gained 1,503 yards in 1976. There was an added dimension to his game in 1989 as Thomas caught 60 passes, a new team record for a running back, for 669 yards, giving him a whopping 1,913 combined yards from scrimmage, to lead the league. In a heartbreaking playoff loss to the Cleveland Browns, Thurman caught a playoff record 13 passes for 150 yards. He was named to his first Pro Bowl that season.

In 1990 Thurman Thomas led the league once again in total yards from scrimmage with 1,829, 1,297 yards rushing and 532 yards receiving. Throughout the season the Bills were the dominant team in the NFL and Thurman Thomas was becoming their most potent weapon as the Bills made it to their first ever Super Bowl that season. Thomas gained 135 yards rushing and 55 yards receiving in Super Bowl XXV, clearly outplaying everyone on the field but losing out to O. J. Anderson for game MVP honors, an award that almost always goes to a player on the winning team.

1991 was one of Thurman Thomas' finest season as he once again led the NFL in combined yards for scrimmage for a third straight season totaling 2,038 yards. He made it to his third straight Pro Bowl. He caught a career high 62 passes, a Bills team record for a running back that still stands. Thomas was also named the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 1991, the first Buffalo Bill to win that honor since O. J. Simpson. All did not end well for Thurman that season however, as he missed the first two plays from scrimmage in Super Bowl XXVI because he misplaced his helmet on the bench. Thomas was ripped by the national media for this and was also ripped for comments he made earlier in the week before that game, saying he was the Michael Jordan of the Billls and not Jim Kelly. He was misquoted and meant to say that the Bills had two Michael Jordans, him and Kelly but it didn't matter, the damage to his image was done. By misplacing his helmet, he became the unfair scapegoat for the Bills 37-24 loss to the Redskins. 

All during the 1992 season, Thurman Thomas let his play do the talking, as he decided not to talk to the media, in response to all the negative criticism he received in Super Bowl XXVI. His numbers were even more sparkling in '92, as he gained 1,487 yards rushing, his most ever, and 626 yards receiving for an NFL high 2,113 yards from scrimmage, the 9th best total in history. He became the first running back to lead the league in combined yards from scrimmage 4 straight seasons. He made it to another Pro Bowl, his 4th straight. His reluctance to talk to the media might have cost him a second league MVP as his numbers were better in '92 than in '91. The Bills as a team weren't as good though as they didn't win the AFC East but did go to a third straight Super Bowl. 

In 1993 Thurman and the Bills went to an NFL record 4th straight Super Bowl. He led the AFC in rushing with 1,315 yards and was named to his fifth straight Pro Bowl. Thomas was a workhorse running the ball 355 times, breaking Simpson's team record of 332, set in 1973. Surpassed the 10,000 yard from scrimmage mark in a game against Pittsburgh, becoming only the second Bills player (Simpson the other) to do so. Became the scapegoat in Super Bowl XXVIII, fumbling the ball in the third quarter, changing the momentum of the game.

Gained 1,093 yards rushing, the sixth consecutive year he gained over 1,000, in 1994, tying him with  Barry Sanders, Walter Payton and Franco Harris for second in NFL history to do so. Broke O. J. Simpson's team record for most consecutive seasons with 1,000 or more yards rushing (Simpson had 5). '94 was also the season Thomas was accused of making lewd comments to a young autograph seeker, further damaging his public image. The Bills missed the playoffs for the first time since 1987. 

Thomas rushed for over 1,000 yards again in 1995 (1,005) to become the third back to do so, Eric Dickerson and Barry Sanders the others. The Bills made it back to the playoffs and in doing so Thurman Thomas became the second all time playoff leader in yards from scrimmage. Set a club record when he caught a pass in his 43rd consecutive game. Also scored his 71st touchdown, setting a new team record.

Became the 11th player in NFL history rush for over 10,000 yards on October 6, 1996 in a game against the Indianapolis Colts. The following week against Miami, Thomas scored his 58th rushing touchdown setting a new team record. On October 20, 1996 in a game against the New York Jets another team record fell as Thomas passed O. J. Simpson as the Bills all-time rushing leader. Finished the season with 1,033 yards becoming only one of two players in NFL history to gain 1,000 yards in 8 consecutive seasons, Barry Sanders being the other.

The Bills drafted running back Antowain Smith in the first round in 1997, signaling a changing of the guard for the Buffalo Bills. With all those rushes and all those passes caught, it was thought that Thurman was running on borrowed time. With the drafting of Smith, it was believed that Thomas would have a couple of good seasons left until Antowain took over. 

Antowain Smith proved to be as good as advertised as he outgained Thurman 840 yards to 643 yards. Thurman was still the starter but his role with the offense was greatly diminished. He rushed for 100 yards in a game only once and scored only one touchdown. At the end of the season Thurman Thomas stated that Antowain Smith should be the Bills featured back.

In '98 Thomas became a third down back and was taken out of the starting line-up for the first time in his NFL career. He became a role player and was considered the team leader in the locker room. Even though his glory years had passed, he was still a valuable cog in the Bills machine as they made it back to the playoffs once again.

In 1999 Thurman looked good in training camp and with Antowain Smith slowed by an injured groin, Thurman got the starting nod against the Colts in the season opener. He suffered a lacerated liver on the first play from scrimmage, catching a high Doug Flutie pass out of the backfield and taking a nasty hit. He missed the next 11 games. When he came back i agame against the Giants, he looked like the Thurman Thomas of old, even scoring a touchdown.

After the '99 season he anounced that he would like to return for one more season but would not take a pay cut. The Bills were woefully over the salary cap and Thurman Thomas was cut, along with Bruce Smith and Andre Reed. In a move that shocked, stunned and revolted Bills fans everywhere, Thurman Thomas signed a free agent contract with the arch rival Miami Dolphins for the 2000 season.

He finished his Bills career as their all time leading rusher, with 11,938 yards on 2,849 attempts (another Bills record). He also holds the Bills record for most rushing TDs with 65. He is second all-time in receptions with 456, trailing only Andre Reed. He shares the Bills record for most touchdowns at 87 with Andre Reed. Thurman Thomas is considered the greatest Buffalo Bills player of all-time by many. A lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame when his career is over.