Buffalo Bills running back James Cook earned the franchise’s first rushing title in 50 years, then earned a big national honor on top of it.
The Bills announced on Saturday that Cook was named as a second-team All-Pro, falling behind only Bijan Robinson of the Atlanta Falcons. Cook earned the rushing title after a nail-biting final weekend and now will head into the playoffs looking to lead his team to an upset.
Bills Share Honor for James Cook
As the team noted in its announcement of Cook’s All-Pro honors, the Bills running back had a stellar season that included the franchise’s first rushing title since O.J. Simpson in 1976.
“Cook led the Bills to the No. 1 rushing team in the NFL and earned the rushing title, leading running backs in the regular season in rushing yards,” the team noted in its announcement. “He logged 309 carries for 1,621 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was third in carries, tied sixth in rushing scores and ranked second in average yards per carry (5.2) by the conclusion of Week 18.”
The team noted a big moment for Cook when he topped 200 yards in a win over the eventual NFC South champion Carolina Panthers.
“Week 8 against the Panthers was Cook’s best performance in terms of rushing yards,” the team noted. “He registered his only 200-plus yard performance of the 2025 season with 216 rushing yards on 19 carries. He also had two touchdowns in that game. This was one of nine contests he had 100 or more yards on the ground.”
Cook earned the rushing title after some tense moments. He had a lead of 152 yards on Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry going into the final game of the weekend, where the Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers were battling for the AFC North title. Though Henry had 112 yards and halftime, he was held to just 14 yards in the second half.
Cook was able to win the rushing title on the strength of his career-best 1,621 yards. Quarterback Josh Allen, who said during the season that he believed Cook should win MVP, praised the running back for his historic accomplishment.
“He deserves it,” Allen said. “He’s the best back in the league, and I can strongly say that. The way that he has carried himself throughout this year, the way that he consistently performs on a game to game basis, how hard he practices. He’s done everything to deserve this honor and it’s really cool. And we got to keep rolling with him in the playoffs.”
Bills Looking for Upset on Wild-Card Weekend
The Bills are facing an unfamiliar task as the playoffs start — going on the road as underdogs. The Bills had won the AFC East for five consecutive seasons, but this year saw the New England Patriots grab the title and send Buffalo off to a wild-card matchup with the AFC South champion Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Bills have advanced to at least the divisional round in the last five years, with Cook and quarterback Josh Allen facing an uphill task to return against a strong Jacksonville defense.
Bills Share Major James Cook Announcement Before Playoff Game