Quarterback Josh Allen just became the Buffalo Bills franchise leader in rushing touchdowns on Sunday night.
You read that right, the Bills franchise ground scoring leader is a quarterback. Buffalo has two running backs in the Hall of Fame and neither have more scores than Allen on the ground.
Allen, who has been considered a dual-threat throughout his seven seasons, scored his 66th career rushing touchdown on Sunday night as the Bills trailed the Baltimore Ravens 34 – 19, surpassing Hall of Fame running
back Thurman Thomas (65 touchdowns) at the top of Buffalo’s record book. (O.J. Simpson had 57 for Buffalo.)
The current Bills quarterback reached his 66th career rushing touchdown six seasons earlier than the Hall of Fame running back. Allen scored his latest rushing touchdown at age 29 and at the start of his eighth season in the NFL. Thomas was 32 and in his 12th season. Maybe more telling is the difference in the number of rushing touchdowns per year that Allen scores compared to Thomas. Allen has not had a season with less than six scores on the ground (2021) where Thomas had four seasons with two or less. Allen has had five seasons with eight or more rushing touchdowns, including this season in which he has 12 already and last season in which he scored 15. Thomas only had three 8+ rushing touchdown seasons with his career best being his third season in the league, 1990, when he ran the ball for eleven scores.
Allen joins Cam Newton, who has 63 rushing touchdowns with the Carolina Panthers, as the only quarterbacks in the NFL to hold a franchise record in rushing touchdowns.
So what does that mean for Josh Allen? He now has taken over the franchise touchdown records from both Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas. Kelly and Thomas are two of the most loved, most decorated Buffalo Bills. They were key to the Bills’ four straight Super Bowl appearances in the 1990s. They are Hall of Famers. Thurman Thomas was the league’s Most Valuable Player in 1991 when he 2038 all-purpose yards along with 7 rushing TDs and another 5 receiving. Thomas was the AP Offensive Player of the Year the same season.
Regardless of what accolades the league piles on the Buffalo quarterback, regardless of when that Super Bowl ring comes, Josh Allen is the most valuable player in Bills’ history – at least when it comes to offense. If you aren’t sure, check the record books: you can find his name at the top.
