James Cook is on track to become the first Buffalo Bills player to lead in NFL yards per game since 1982, when Joe Cribbs outran Hall of Famers Marcus Allen, Franco Harris, Tony Dorsett, and more
18:37 ET, 05 Nov 2025
Joe Cribbs dives forward during the Bills-Dolphins game in 1982
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James Cook could be the first Buffalo Bills running back to lead the NFL in rushing yards per game since Joe Cribbs
James Cook has quietly become the NFL's most consistent ground threat for all of those who don't play fantasy football, and he's doing it with league history within reach.
The Buffalo Bills have an MVP quarterback in Josh Allen, but have shifted to a run-focused offense. With Cook averaging 108.4 rushing yards per game through Week 10, he is on track to be the first Bills player to lead the league in rushing since Joe Cribbs in 1982.
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Cribbs averaged 90.4 yards per game that NFL season, narrowly beating stars like George Rogers and Tony Dorsett. That era featured backs who carried fewer than 300 times per season, compared to today's players like Saquon Barkley, who rushed 345 times last year.
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For more than four decades, Buffalo's offensive identity has been defined by generational quarterbacks like Allen and big-play receivers, rather than the run game. Cook’s 2025 surge might be changing that narrative entirely.
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The current leaderboard tells the story, as Cook's 108.4 mark sits above those of Jonathan Taylor (99.4), Rico Dowdle (81.7), Javonte Williams (79.6), and Derrick Henry (78.6).
His combination of speed, vision, patience, and balance has maintained his top position despite a minor ankle and foot injury that will prevent him from practicing this week before Sunday's game against the 2-7 Miami Dolphins.
Through eight games, the two-time Pro Bowler has rushed for 867 yards on 153 carries (a 5.7-yard average) while scoring seven touchdowns. His season peaked with a 216-yard, two-touchdown performance in Buffalo's 40-9 win over Carolina.
James Cook runs for a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers
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Cook is on pace to make Bills history
Cook tied Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs for the league lead with 16 rushing touchdowns last season. His most recent appearance on The Arena Gridiron showcased both his often-hidden big personality, confidence, and ability to stay focused during a long NFL season.
Between joking about his new cookie brand, teasing Frank Gore Jr. about locker room etiquette, and playfully declaring that Demar Hamlin would "never date his sister," Cook also opened up about his underdog mentality.
James Cook dives for a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs
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Cook is second behind Jonathan Taylor in rushing yards this season
He insisted he's far from frustrated by the spotlight surrounding quarterback Josh Allen, emphasizing that team success matters more than headlines.
That self-awareness may partly explain the success of his 2025 campaign. If Cook maintains his current pace, he might reach approximately 1,840 rushing yards, which would fall short of O.J. Simpson's record of 2,003 yards set in 1973. Simpson's average of 143.1 yards per game in 1973 remains the NFL record.
James Cook celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Denver Broncos
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Cook co-led the NFL in rushing TDs last season
Forty-three years after Cribbs' era, Cook has an opportunity to establish his own chapter in Bills history. Just 25 running backs in NFL history have exceeded 1,800 rushing yards.
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Dalvin Cook, James's brother, who last played for the Dallas Cowboys, rushed for 1,557 yards in the 2020 season with the Minnesota Vikings.