Orchard Park, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - For the first time since 1976, a Buffalo Bills running back finishes a season as the NFL's leading rusher.
With 1,621 rushing yards over the course of 17 regular-season games, Bills running back James Cook finished his 2025 season as the NFL's rushing king for the first time in his career.
While Cook's action was limited on Sunday, his 15 yards on two carries was enough to put him in a comfortable distance of the league's second-leading rusher Derrick Henry, who was playing later in the evening against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Needing 152 yards on the ground to surpass Cook, Henry was only able to put up 126 yards on 20 carries, as the Baltimore Ravens' season came to an end in a 26-24 loss. Henry was able to surpass Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor by 10 yards with his effort in the final game of the regular season.
For the third-straight year, Cook managed to surpass the 1,000-yard rushing mark, and set a career-best in yardage in 2025. He also accounted for 12 rushing touchdowns for the Bills, as well as an additional two scores through the air.
So far through his impressive four-year career with the Bills, Cook has proven himself to be one of the more dynamic running backs in the NFL. In 66 games suited up with the Bills since being drafted in the second round (63rd overall) in the 2022 NFL Draft, the 26-year-old has averaged 5.1 yards per-carry on 840 career carries and accounted for 32 touchdowns on the ground.
Cook becomes the first Bills running back to win the NFL's rushing title since Hall-of-Famer O.J. Simpson finished his 1976 season with 1,503 yards on 290 carries and eight touchdowns in 14 games played.
The three-time Pro Bowler is hoping to be a big piece to the puzzle for the Bills in the playoffs when they start their Super Bowl run on Sunday in Jacksonville against the Jaguars. Kickoff from EverBank Stadium is slated for 1 p.m.
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