Thurman Thomas Hall of Fame Feature
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- Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
- Thurman Thomas slipped to the second round of the 1988 National Football League Draft due to concern about a knee injury he had suffered during his senior year at Oklahoma State. The Buffalo Bills, who had no first round pick that year, selected Thomas, an All-America running back, in the second round with the 40th overall pick.
In 1989, after an impressive rookie season that included a division title for the Bills, the multi-dimensional Thomas rushed for 1,000 yards, caught 60 passes, and scored 12 touchdowns in his second season.
His ability to catch the ball as well as run with it was a key ingredient to the Bills' "No Huddle" offensive attack. The team improved to 13-3 in 1990 as Thomas led the NFL in all-purpose yards. He rushed for 1,297 yards and scored 11 touchdowns while catching 49 passes for 532 yards and two touchdowns. With the versatile back leading the way, the Bills marched through the playoffs to the first of their unprecedented four straight Super Bowl berths.
Thomas rushed for 100 yards in each of the playoff games that post-season including Super Bowl XXV when he gained 135 yards on just 15 carries and scored on a 31-yard run early in the fourth quarter. He also had 5 receptions for 55 yards.
In 1991, Thomas amassed more than 2,000 all-purpose yards, just the 11th player ever to do so. His league-leading yardage output included 1,407 yards on the ground and an additional 631 yards on a career-high 62 receptions. He scored 12 touchdowns. He reached the 2,000-yard total again the following season which marked a record fourth straight season of leading the NFL in yards from scrimmage.
Named to the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 1990s, Thomas was selected first- or second-team All-Pro and All-AFC five times, and was voted to the Pro Bowl five straight years. Thomas retired as the NFL's ninth ranked rusher with 12,074 yards and added another 4,458 yards on 472 catches. He scored 65 rushing and 23 receiving touchdowns in his 13-season career.
One of if not the most versatile Football players of all time. H.O.F for sure. SALUTE
Eric Metcalf!
Thurman Thomas revolutionized running backs catching passes out of the backfield. Unitl him nobody saw a back that could lay out for an amazing 50 yard catch the way he did. I had the pleasure of meeting him many years ago when I was about 10. Sat on the couch and talked to him for about 10 minutes he's a very down to earth guy.
I will never forget the time I got to sit down with Thurman Thomas in the hotel when I was around 7-8 years old (right before the 32-17 win over washington) and have a nice 10-15 minute talk with him. He could have just as easily pushed us away and said he didnt have time like a lot of NFL players did at the time. Especially considering me and my brother were just little kids. However, he made sure to treat us with respect, and treat us kindly, that's what makes #34 an outstanding person.
IMO the classiest player ever to grace the NFL.
This guy was so good, Barry Sanders was his backup in college. Let that sink in. Definitely should have been a first ballot hall of famer.
All I can say is "Thank You Eli Pitts ! Eli was a running back and he knew Thurman had real skill and massive talent.
Hello Thurman Thomas with a smile on my face this day January 30, 2014. This is Jacquelyn Wynette Chatman, nickname Jackie that went to Willowridge High, Missouri City, Texas and we had a HEALTH class together.
Your desk was behind me and you use to love to play in my hair. Last night I awaken from a dream of you doing the same thing meaning playing in my hair but in a different environment.
You were one on my favorite classmates. Always a humble and quiet person.
Just wanted you to know that you were on my mind and definitely proud of you. I love you Thurman Thomas and wishing you continuous success.
Sincerely,
Miss Jacquelyn Wynette Chatman, Nickname Jackie
One of the greatest Tecmo SB player ever
Catching bombs..
Thurman Thomas deserves the HOF! He was a great player!
The Thurmanater represented to the fullest. Thanks for holding it down and making it to the HOF!!!
I hate OSU with a burning passion but Thurman and Barry were 2 of the all time greats. So glad I grew up getting to watch them play.
True that. I'm the only Bills fan in Long Beach, CA. My pops is from Buffalo and he's a fan too. Thomas was what I grew up on. I'm only 23. Bills are always my team, I don't deviate. I hope we get to 1st rd this yr!
The Bills were absolutely stacked in the early 1990s. Should have at least one the Super Bowl against the Giants.
Brother Thurman was so good, he should have been inducted in the HOF three years before he retired.
i love my favorite 1st cousin .
my favorite rb of all time ! luv you cuzz !
The best Buffalo bill
Any team that consistently loses has only to look to the coach and owners...the coach/owners are/is who makes the team a success or not..Thurman should have made the HOF, he was like a gazelle on the field...and I say this as a football MOM! =)
Thurman Thomas went to Oklahoma State in the late 80's? Thats one hell of a backfield with Thomas and Barry Sanders if thats the case.
He was my favorite Running Back. When I Was a kid, and had the chance to see the glory days of the Hall Of Famers Marv Levy, Jim Kelly, Bruuuuuuuuuce Smith and Thurman Thomas.
late 80's early 90's fantastic period....
One of the best pure running back of all time total class!! Something you don't see anymore #34!!! Respect!
The Thurmanator.
LOVE this dude! CLASS act!
Okay I'll "Love this dude" bc you told me to!
Thurman Thomas is one of the greatest RB's of all time & people don't even speak on him at all, except me. He truly made it as a black man & is living the american dream. He's rich, famous & has a blonde white wife! 😆
the 90's teams was Harboring some good all-stars players bills had: Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, Don Bebe, Bruce Smith, Cornelius Bennett. those were some of the best years the NFL experienced great talent.
Thurman Thomas did everything he could run and catch he ran good routes too for a rb just a complete well rounded player has over 10,000 career yards what a beast
He was also an excellent pass blocker as well
I think O.J. should've been the running back on the 50th Anniversary All-Time Bills team. Not taking anything away from Thurman.
Yes he did and yes it was.
I thought the same aerox. I loved watching him play, he's a class act too
TOUCHDOWN THURMAN THOMAS
Even if O.J. Simpson didn't do what he did. Thurman Thomas would've still been the 50th Anniversary Running back of the Bills. Why? Because he was best offensive player that they had along Jim Kelly and helped carry the Bills to 4 straight Super Bowls. Also he had at that time the all time record for post season touchdowns. Yeah, plus he passed up O.J. Simpson on the all time rushing list. Thurman Thomas gets that award easily no matter what the circumstances on that debate.
Thurman was a "Poor mans" Walter Payton and not as aggressive as Walter.
i read a book about him about 3 or 4 days ago
Don't let Bruce Smith fool you. He is the oldest, then Andre, then Thurman.
Uma Thurman, Thurman Thomas, Emma Thompson.
Jim kellly called him Thermos at 2:50 hahahaha lols
i well never forget when the titans had the music city miricle game javon kerase sacking him
I noticed somewhere a guy getting interviewed called him thermos
2:30-2:41 = top 5 runs of all time. dont hate.
"we put Buffalo on the map" Agreed, but when will Buffalo be back in the game…. I want Buffalo to coach their way back to the top!!
hypaspazz 5 years ago you said this and we are still in the same boat with the bills lol
na the boat sunk its somewheres in the niagara rapids me thinks.. mayb near that 100 yr old rusted barge
hypaspazz we r back in the game bud
They made a mistake by not drafting him. Why oh why did they not draft him that was crazy! He is now a Hall of Famer! I bet next time they'll stop doubting NFL players when drafting, because you can never judge a book by its cover.
his daughters look guuuuddd!
So weird seeing him in a Dolphins Uniform.
2nd best RB of the 90's Barry #1 Thomas #2 Smith #3
Uhhhh 1:41 better catch than OBJ.
CJ Spiller should watch this
awosome all purpose back
1:42...what other running back in NFL history can do that? REALLY?
all the running backs back in the day were greater.they had way more balance nd elusiveness they werent afraid to make plays.BARRY SANDERS WAS THE GREATEST THO.but they were all great the running backs but today arent a gifted as they were back then
Barry Sanders had the best moves of all time but that's where it stops! He was no Thurman Thomas. Thurman wasn't taken out if goal line like Barry was for good reason. Barry was an incomplete back as opposed to Thurman was the most complete RB in the 90s & I rank him 3rd in all of NFL history behind Walter Payton #1 & Marcus Allen #2. Be easy when you say the "greatest ever!"
No Bills Selected To Pro Bowl
said he had a knee injury in his senior year, wrong, it was his junior year
jim kelly thurman thomas
raw
I support this message. LOL
@HaIIoweenKingDiamond ...Thurman Thomas had a huge excellent O Line as well featuring Howard Ballard, John Fina and others. Love the man to death..but sorry.i'd take emmitt any day.
richard riccio Emmitt wouldn’t have done shit without his offensive line. Which had 4 hall of famers.
Oh...and zip code? Thanks.
@zigomanis18 Gotta agree with ya. Thumbs up!
@HaIIoweenKingDiamond what about barry sanders?
@atlballer81 It was? two losses to the cowboys by a total of 52 points? Team of the 90's? Ahh no! Great team but no super bowl wins...sorry.
He had an injury LOL. drafting someone with an injury before draft is a high risk
Yeah, he doesn't have a chance. Good college player, though
LMAO! Now you're picking on Thomas? Dude, you seriously need a girlfriend.
Phone number in case I get lost?
Thurman Thomas is a Republican, imagine that.
Lots of stats and nothing to show for them----no way HOF. No way. The other terrible HOF pick is Floyd Little. Thurman was a bust in all 4 Super Bowls.
He wasn't a bust in the first one.
Armando Ramirez You are true in that assertion--ironically the 25th S/B remains the best one ever played. The only Bill from those years who deserves to be in the Hall is Bruce Smith.
I still think Thurman deserves to be a hall of famer because of what he meant to Buffalo's offense. He was the one who made that K-Gun as dynamic as it was with his running ability and great passing routes which would often leave him matched up with line backers and they couldn't cover him. And leading the league in total yards from scrimmage for 4 years is no joke. He basically had more responsibilities on his team than Emmitt and Barry and plus he played in those harsh Buffalo winters. Is he the best running back of all time? Definitely not. But I'll put it this way, had it not been for Thurman, I don't think Buffalo goes to 4 Super Bowls.
Armando Ramirez You present your arguments with clarity. It is possible that the Bills might not have gotten to 4 in a row if Thurman had not been there. Have made the point elsewhere that there are levels in the HOF:
We see in RBs that Jim Thorpe is the Babe Ruth of football, whereas Floyd LIttle is on the lowest rung. Next to Jim, there are guys such as Bronco Nagurski, Marion Motley, Jim Taylor, Gale Sayers, John Riggins, Earl Campbell. Lower level guys are Thurman, Curtis Martin and others.
I didn't see all those guys play but I've read all the material and I have no doubt about their abilities. I guess Jim Brown could be considered the greatest or Walter Payton. Even OJ deserves consideration despite his extracurricular activities after his career was over. In the 90s, I would put Thurman in 4th behind Barry, Emmitt, and Faulk. Though you can probably flip flop Faulk and Thomas because they were both very similar. But as far as stats do go, I think Faulk edges out Thurman.