Thurman Thomas
- Buffalo Bills (1988-1999)
- Miami Dolphins (2000)
- 5 × Pro Bowl (1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 )
- 5 × NFL All-Pro (1989-1993) 1 2 team
- NFL Most Valuable Player Award ( 1991)
- NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1992 )
- 2 × College All American (1985, 1987)
- NFL 1990s All- Decade Team
- Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame
- Back number 34 suspended on College
- College Football Hall of Fame (2008)
- Pro Football Hall of Fame (2007)
- Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame (2005)
Thurman Lee Thomas ( born May 16, 1966 in Houston, Texas ) is an American former American football player at the position of the running backs. He played for twelve years the Buffalo Bills in the National Football League ( NFL), and came with his team for four consecutive years in the Super Bowl.
Playing career
College
Thomas has played in high school American football. In 1984 he was awarded a scholarship at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, pointing at the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the course of his studies excellence. So he was able to achieve 43 touchdowns among others and erlief in 21 matches each over 100 yards. 1985 moved his team in the Gator Bowl to be, the game went against the Florida State University with 34:23 lost. The Sun Bowl was narrowly defeated in 1987 West Virginia University with 35:33. When Thomas had finished his studies, he was the best running back his college who had ever played there. The Scouts of the NFL became aware of Thomas.
Professional career
1988 Thomas was surprisingly selected in the second round of the NFL Drafts as 40 players from the Buffalo Bills. The late signing of Thomas turned out to be for the Bills as a stroke of luck. Before running backs Thomas undertook not get near his achievements throughout their careers. In the first year, Thomas could develop under his head coach Marv Levy team regular. He bribed not only as a ball carrier, but had to catch a pass his quarterbacks also able and achieved partially by -pass catches more space savings than through runs. Every year, Thomas was able to increase its statistical benefits. 1990 attracted the Bills for the first time in the Super Bowl, but had to in Super Bowl XXV the New York Giants defeated with 20:19, though Thomas with 135 yards and a touchdown space gain was a good performance. Also in the next three Super Bowls the Bills could move as champion of the American Football Conference (AFC ), but lost them respectively against the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XXVI and against the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XXVII and XXVIII in the Super Bowl. In Super Bowl XXVI, Thomas moved during the national anthem his football helmet, which is why he missed the first two moves of his team. In the game he scored just 13 yards extra space. His helmet loss was later elected by ESPN as one of the 100 most remarkable Super Bowl moments. In Super Bowl XXVIII Thomas was able to achieve at 30:13 defeat the only touchdown of his team, which the Bills led at halftime, but he lost twice in the second half, the football, so the Cowboys from his mistakes made ten points. Although Thomas could always convince during the regular season, he succeeded only in the first Super Bowl against the Giants a statistically superior performance. Thomas, who was at the Super Bowl along with his quarterback Jim Kelly four times, could never win one.
1999 Thomas left the Bills, who were no longer willing to pay his high salary, and the Miami Dolphins joined them. He got behind Lamar Smith, though very little use time and ended after a year and a knee injury suffered in Miami his career. To be able to sit down as a player the Bills to rest, he signed a contract, although again in Buffalo, however, did not occur to them.
Along with Curtis Martin, Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders, he is the only player to have scored in succession more than 1,000 yards each in eight years.
Honors
Thomas jersey number 34 is no longer awarded to graduating from college. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and the National Football League 1990s All- Decade Team. The Bills honor him on the Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame. In 1991 he was elected Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the season and the NFL Offensive Player of the Year. He played five times in the Pro Bowl six times and was elected to the All Pro.
After the career
Thomas is married and has three children. He now runs a school for young football player and is co-owner of the Rochester Raiders, a team of the Indoor Football League.