Buffalo Bills History: Who Wore It #34

As we end June and move into July, one of the best months of the year, and seemingly one of the longest as we wait for training camp to begin, let’s take a look back and stroll through history to see who wore the number 34 for the Buffalo Bills.

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Now don’t cheat and look ahead, but how many Buffalo Bills can you name past Thurman Thomas and Cookie Gilchrist that wore the number 34?

The first Buffalo Bills player to wear the number 34 was Cookie Gilchrist. A fullback for the Bills from 1962-1964, Gilchrist played in a total of 42 games for the Buffalo Bills over 3 years and finished with over 3000 yards on the ground. He was a 4 time Pro Bowler and played for 2 other teams after he left the Buffalo Bills. Gilchrist finished his career in 1967 with the Denver Broncos, a second stint with them.

From 1966-1967 Allen Smith was the next player to wear the number 34 for the Buffalo Bills. Only with the Bills during his 2 year, 19 game career, Smith was mainly seen as a kick returner for the Buffalo Bills.

The 3rd of 8 players to wear the number 34 for the Buffalo Bills was Gene Donaldson. Gene was only around with the Bills for 2 games during the 1967 season and had 3 attempts for -1 yards.

Bubba Thornton was the next player to don the 34 jersey. Around for just 14 games, Thornton, like Smith, was used only as a kick returner racking up over 700 yards on 30 returns.

Jim Braxton is the next on our list of Buffalo Bills players with the number 34. Spending 8 years in the red, white and blue, Braxton was a force at running back with 721 attempts for just under 3000 yards on the ground. He was with the Bills from 1971 until 1978 where he split time with the Bills and Dolphins.

Booker Moore was with the Buffalo Bills for 4 years as a fullback and racked up 420 yards on 115 carries. He also had that in yardage on 75 receptions.

Gary Wilkins, as a TE/RB for the Buffalo Bills during the 1986 and 87 seasons, saw more action as a TE than a running back. Although Wilkins didn’t see much action he ad 8 receptions for 74 yards in his 17 games as a Bill.

The final player that wore the number 34 for the Buffalo Bills needs no introduction. The running back through the Super Bowl Years and that of the K-Gun offense, Thurman Thomas is the last player to wear the number 34 playing for the Buffalo Bills from 1988 until 1999. In his 12 seasons with the Bills he accumulated 2849 carries for 11938 yards. As a versatile back he also had 456 receptions for 4341 yards from the pass. He had a total of 87 touchdowns while in Buffalo. Elected to the Hall of Fame back in 2007 he was also a 5 time Pro Bowler as well.

Next: Tyrod Taylor Is In Rex Ryan's Eye

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