The Bills are dead set on winning a Super Bowl with their current core, but the tandem of Josh Allen and James Cook has delivered Buffalo fans some special moments over the years. Now, both are closing in on the same milestone.
Allen and Cook are on the doorstep of 5,000 career rushing yards, joining an exclusive group of players to run for 5,000 yards in a Bills uniform.
For Allen, it’s a particularly remarkable number given his passing prowess.
Here’s a look at the 5,000-yard rushers in Bills history and how Allen and Cook have reached this point.
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Bills 5,000-yard rushers
Before Cook and Allen join the club, only three players have rushed for at least 5,000 yards in a Bills uniform, including two very well-known names:
| Player | Rushing yards |
| Thurman Thomas | 11,938 |
| O.J. Simpson | 10,183 |
| Fred Jackson | 5,646 |
Hall of Famer Thurman Thomas rushed for nearly 12,000 yards with the Bills, while O.J. Simpson might not be known today for his playing career but did rack up more than 10,000 yards in Buffalo.
Outside of those two legendary Bills, only Fred Jackson has amassed more than 5,000 yards on the ground. Cook is on the verge of joining the club as the fourth Bills running back with 5,000 yards, while Allen is arguably in a class of his own because of his position.
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Josh Allen career rushing stats
Here were Allen’s career rushing stats entering Monday’s game against the Vikings:
- Attempts: 926
- Yards: 4,991
- TD: 88
- YPC: 5.4
Allen is the all-time leader for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback, and he will be the fifth quarterback to run for at least 5,000 yards in his career.
James Cook career rushing stats
Here were Cook’s career rushing stats entering Monday’s game against the Vikings:
- Attempts: 980
- Yards: 4,966
- TD: 39
- YPC: 5.1
Cook has rocketed up the Bills’ all-time rushing leaderboard quickly, as he didn’t take on the featured role he has now until mid-2023 but is on track to surpass 1,000 yards for the fourth consecutive season. Cook rushed for a career-high 1,621 yards in 2025, averaging better than five yards per carry.
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