Thurman Thomas is a former professional running back. Thomas attended college at Oklahoma State University where he was an upperclassman teammate of running back Barry Sanders. At Oklahoma State, Thomas had 897 rushes for 4,595 yards, 43 touchdowns, 5,146 total yards, and 21 100-yard rushing games.
He was also a Heisman Trophy candidate in his senior year, finishing seventh in voting. He was selected by the Bills in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft, where he spent all but one season of his pro career. Thomas spent his final NFL year as a member of the Miami Dolphins in 2000. During his 12 seasons with the Bills, Thomas established himself as an important part of the Bills "K-Gun" offense that utilized no-huddle shotgun formations. He qualified for the Pro Bowl five times, twice received first-team All-Pro honors, and was NFL MVP in 1991. Thomas' efforts helped his team make a record four consecutive Super Bowl appearances from 1991 to 1994, an accomplishment, however, often overshadowed by the Bills losing each game.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007 and into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008. His jersey number, 34, was retired by the Bills on national TV on Monday October 29, 2018 in honor of his achievements.
