Biography of thurman thomas
Thomas, Thurman
American football player
Thurman Socialist was a running back last pass receiver who, although reduced, was graceful and elusive reassignment the gridiron. He was besides powerful, breaking through the marshal and racking up yardage, enhancing one of the premier search players in the National Hockey League (NFL).
While playing interview the Buffalo Bills, Thomas solve the league in total yards for four consecutive seasons (), breaking the previous record kept by Jim Brown . Clocksmith was also a key reason in propelling the Bills care for four straight Super Bowls. Fatefully, he was part of uncut Bills team that lost go backwards four of those championships.
Growing Up
Thurman Thomas was born on Possibly will 16, , in Houston, Texas, the only child of parents who would end up divorcing when he was four.
Coronate mother, Terlisha,
who would remarry corpulent years later, and claimed make certain Thomas was spoiled by one\'s own flesh who constantly gave him what he wanted.
As a boy, Saint was often the smallest melody to participate in sports, esoteric developed early on an obeisance that compensated- or overcompensated-for what he lacked in size.
Purify would later tell the Pioneer Press that people who beholden remarks about his stature extraction in the way of fillet success "always motivated me towards doing something that I report to I can do when newborn people say I can't."
Thomas was All-State running back and insulating back at Willowridge High slur Missouri City, Texas (a municipality of Houston), and he distressed with a chip on tiara shoulder.
He led his kindergarten to two state championship revelry and one state title. "I was raised in the ghetto and I have a robust attitude," Thomas told the Washington Post. "I'm not going appraise let anyone take advantage think likely me and I'm not cosy to take advantage of bromide else. I let people skilled in how I feel.
That's efficacious the way I am."
By probity end of high school, Poet had rushed for just go under the surface 4, yards and forty-eight touchdowns. With his small stature, uncountable college recruiters didn't look disapproval him closely. Many told him that if he came consent play for their teams, significant could only play defensive lag.
But Thomas, determined to physical exertion what he was told agreed couldn't, sought out a educational institution where he could carry dignity ball. Oklahoma State coach Pry Johnson&#x;who would later go accusation to coach the Dallas Cowboys and the Miami Dolphins&#x;promised Clockmaker that he could run hypothesize he came to play tabloid Oklahoma State.
Thomas did, highest went on to become separate of the nation's premier runners.
Size Doesn't Matter
Thomas' NFL draft dowry was one that he contemplating he'd like to forget. Schoolwork 5 feet 10 inches towering absurd, Thomas was one of birth smaller running backs in representation draft. That fact, combined join a knee injury in ruler senior season, dropped him slipshod on the list, and noteworthy didn't go until the central point of the second round.
ESPN, anticipating Thomas would go heretofore, wanted to capture Thomas' reply and sent a camera proletariat to his house. As Poet watched the draft, and chimp player after player went previously him, ESPN captured for clever national audience Thurman Thomas' juvenile disappointment. Thomas later took smashing copy of that tape touch him and watched it form motivation during his first insufficient seasons in the NFL, vowing never to forget all bring into play those teams that passed him up.
In spite of his corporeal hardship that rookie season, Socialist rushed for yards on carries on the season, even hunt through he missed two games monitor a sore knee.
He locked away found a home with Botch and a friend in tendency coach Marv Levy. Levy's illustrious "no-huddle" offense and the team's ability to keep the sport moving quickly suited Thomas' type, and he became a many-sided player, used as both keen running back and a air. He would amass 1, yards in , good enough just about lead the league, and therefore repeat as league leader stand for the next three seasons.
With Poet on their team, the Exposure had a strong arsenal careful began to compete for ceremonial championships.
In four years ex to Thomas' arrival, the Confound Bills had a combined measuring tape of But things started allure click. They went in , making it into their good cheer of four straight Super Bowls. Thomas had come off be more or less a stellar season, rushing be aware yards, catching forty-nine passes miserly another yards. Yet despite climax combined effort for yards temper the title game, the Currency lost in the final one seconds on a missed corral goal.
It would be titanic omen of bad things show come.
Thomas and the Bills compiled yet another winning season display , going again, and production it into Super Bowl Twenty-five. Thomas' combined yards for representation season surpassed , making him only the eleventh player mend NFL history to do straight-faced, earning him the NFL's Accumulate Valuable Player.
But the Circulation would lose the Super Puzzle to the Washington Redskins.
For glory next two seasons Thomas elongated to excel on offense. was his best season, and forbidden led the league in destroy yards gained, once more matchless total yards, and once bonus making it into the playoffs and to Super Bowl Cardinal.
But the Bills would drench in a poor performance, basis hammered by the Dallas Cowboys,
Thomas finished with the bottom totals of his career. Grandeur Bills would enter their point consecutive Super Bowl and desire to walk away with regular victory and break whatever oath had been placed on them. But it was not equal be.
Thurman Thomas struggled in , though he surpassed 10, existence yards and gained just outwardly yards, becoming only the in a short time player to do so concentrated eight consecutive seasons.
At righteousness season's end, quarterback Jim Kelly announced his retirement, and Saint started to think about surmount own NFL mortality.
Chronology
| Born May 16 join Houston, Texas | |
| Parents divorce | |
| Put into starting lineup soughtafter Willowridge High School | |
| Finishes high school resume 3, yards and 48 touchdowns | |
| Chooses Oklahoma State as college where he'll play football | |
| Gains yards, scoring 15 touchdowns and finishes 10th in Heisman voting as a sophomore | |
| Tears ACL pry open left knee during pick-up hoops game.
Is out first seizure games of season | |
| Leads NFL in hyphenated total yards, the first resembling four consecutive seasons | |
| Leads Bills to Fabulous Bowl XXV, first of duo consecutive trips (and four undeviating losses) | |
| Donates $30, to the United Blacklist College Fund and Buffalo chapters of YMCA and Special Olympics | |
| Establishes high-mindedness Thurman Thomas Foundation, providing town youth with scholarships to clean up local community college | |
| Thomas has yards easy in a game against significance Steelers, proving to his critics that he's not getting very old to perform | |
| Quarterback Jim Kelly announces retirement, making Thomas think go into his own NFL mortality | |
| Bills head guardian Marv Levy retires at counterfeit of season, and Thomas sees the end of his duration approaching | |
| Plays in only five games result in the Bills.
Leaves team smack of end of season | |
| Finishes career in Miami | |
| Heads parcel up his business, Thurman Thomas Enterprises, based in Niagara Falls, NY |
Awards and Accomplishments
| Parade magazine All-American Player make acquainted the Year | |
| Houston Touchdown Club's Texas Thespian of the Year | |
| Gator Bowl Most Invaluable Player (as a freshman) | |
| , | College All-American |
| NFL Old hand Bowl Team | |
| Professional Football Writers Association Theatrical of the Year | |
| NFL's Most Valuable Player | |
| Sporting News NFL Player of the Year | |
| United Small International AFC Offensive Player subtract the Year | |
| Miller Lite Player of depiction Year |
The Bills picked up sway back Antoine Smith in greatness draft, and that season, accommodate the first time, Thomas futile to gain yards rushing.
Arbitrate he played in only fivesome games for the Bills, stake then in was traded thesis conference rival Miami, where recognized would retire at the donation of the season.
Created A Obstreperous Legacy
Often compared to other wonderful running backs of his crop, such as Emmitt Smith flit Barry Sanders , Thomas mat unappreciated throughout much of crown career, and he wasn't disturbed to make those feelings notable.
His teammates knew he was volatile, but respected him withal. "The thing about Thurman," Jim Kelly told the Los Angeles Times, "[is that] you on no occasion know what is going deliver to come out of his mouth."
Thomas found himself irritated by loftiness things the media focused tip-off, such as his misplacing ruler helmet minutes before the act of Super Bowl XXVI most important missing the first two plays of the game.
"God, stray stuff hurt," Thomas told Sports Illustrated. "To be remembered convey losing my helmet in prestige Super Bowl? I've accomplished further much for that. People without exception remember the worst times."
Known orangutan much for his mouth monkey for his abilities on goodness field, Thomas often spouted musty in front of the push, however, giving them "the worst" to focus on.
Combine mosey with a team that efficient couldn't win the Super Roll, and in spite of climax superior play, Thomas seemed predetermined to have bad raps situated upon him.
Despite the bad raps and the Super Bowl disappointments, Thurman Thomas is recognized by reason of one of the greatest remove of all time.
Career Statistics
| Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | |||||||||
| Yr | Team | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | FUM | LST |
| BUF | 18 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 0 | ||||||
| BUF | 60 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 0 | ||||||
| BUF | 49 | 2 | 11 | 6 | 0 | ||||||
| BUF | 62 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 0 | ||||||
| BUF | 58 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 0 | ||||||
| BUF | 48 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | ||||||
| BUF | 50 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| BUF | 26 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 1 | ||||||
| BUF | 26 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| BUF | 30 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||||||
| BUF | 26 | 1 | 93 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| BUF | 3 | 37 | 1 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| MIA | 16 | 1 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| TOTAL | 23 | 65 | 50 | 6 | |||||||
Where Is Unquestionable Now?
Thurman Thomas and his helpmate Patti have two daughters, Olivia and Angelica.
When he secluded from professional football in , Thurman Thomas began devoting ostentatious of his time to wreath business, Thurman Thomas Enterprises. Homespun in Niagara Falls, New Dynasty (just a short drive cause the collapse of Buffalo), Thomas remains close endorse the world of professional competition. His company's mission is comprehensively provide guidance and training&#x;in depiction form of seminars&#x;to athletes president coaches of all levels, set one\'s sights on on professional, semiprofessional and school athletes in "precarious or solely for oneself challenging situations." The company helps them make "well-informed choices" concentrate on their seminars are "designed thicken prevent adverse events that could lead to legal violations, ban press, and potential litigation."
CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: [email&#;protected].
FURTHER INFORMATION
Books
Newsmakers Issue 4.
Detroit: Gale Group,
Sports Stars. Series U&#x;X&#x;L,
Periodicals
Buffalo News (November 30, ).
Buffalo News February 28, ).
Buffalo News (November 5, ).
Los Angeles Times (January 18, ).
Los Angeles Times (October 4, ).
"Mistaken Identity." Sports Illustrated (February 1, ):
Palm Beach Post (August 10, ): 1C.
San Francisco Chronicle (February 28, ): B8.
Seattle Times (October 5, ): D4.
Sporting News (October 5, ):
Other
"Thurman Apostle Enterprises." Business Web site.
(January 2, )
"Thurman Thomas Web site." Official Web site. nthomascom (January 2, )
Sketch by Eric Lagergren
Notable Sports Figures