Helter Skelter » Thurman Thomas recalled a phone call he received

ORCHARD PARK Rock Ya-Sin Jersey , N.Y. (AP) — weeks ago from former Buffalo Bills teammate Bruce Smith.“Do yo know what it means to have your jersey retired?” Smith asked Thomas. “Do you realize the importance?”“I do now,” Thomas told to a sold-out crowd at New Era Field on Monday night. “Now that I’m here with you, I realize it even more.”The Bills retired Thomas’ No. 34 during a ceremony at halftime of Buffalo’s game against the New England Patriots. He is the third player in Bills history to receive the honor. Jim Kelly had his No. 12 retired in 2001, and Smith’s No. 78 was retired in 2016.With the lights turned out at the sold-out stadium, highlights from Thomas’ Hall of Fame career were shown on the video scoreboard while two spotlights projected 34s onto the field.Retired ESPN broadcaster Chris Berman introduced Thomas, who was joined by his family on an elevated platform at midfield. His name and number were unveiled on a wall above the east end zone.“When I look up and see the No. 34 retired under my name, I’ll be reminded that number doesn’t just belong to me http://www.indianapoliscoltsteamonline.com/ben-banogu-jersey ,” Thomas said. “It belongs to the Bills fans everywhere.”Kelly and Smith were among several former teammates who watched the ceremony on the field. Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy and former general manager Bill Polian were also among the group.Earl Campbell, one of two Hall of Fame running backs, along with Walter Payton, who inspired Thomas to wear No. 34, recorded a video message for the ceremony.Thomas played 12 of his 13 seasons in Buffalo and is the franchise’s all-time leading in rushing yards (11,938) and yards from scrimmage (16,279). He was voted NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year in 1991 and led the league in yards from scrimmage in four straight seasons from 1989-92.The Bills put Thomas on their Wall of Fame in 2005 Parris Campbell Jersey , two years before he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.Nine other players have worn No. 34 for the Bills, including Cookie Gilchrist, the 1962 American Football League MVP and star of Buffalo’s 1964 AFL championship team.Oklahoma State College and Willowridge High School in Houston have also honored Thomas by retiring No. 34. Melvin Gordon isn’t in the same position that Le'Veon Bell was. Gordon is under contract. Bell wasn’t, refusing to sign the franchise tag.So while Bell could afford to sit out all season, Gordon can’t. He has to show up by the Tuesday after Week 10 to get credit for the year.Bell likely didn’t get as much as he hoped he would in signing a four-year, $52.5 million contract with the Jets this offseason, though it ranks him second in average annual salary behind Todd Gurley. Still Will Harris Jersey , running backs as a group want more, wondering aloud why they have been devalued.The problem for running backs is most are replaceable. In Bell’s absence, James Conner had 1,470 yards from scrimmage and 13 touchdowns and the Steelers went 8-4-1 in the 13 games he played. C.J. Anderson arrived in Los Angeles off his couch and had 316 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns for the Rams in the two games Gurley missed last season, with the Rams winning both.The Chargers even won the four games Gordon missed last season.Gordon, though, pointed to Ezekiel Elliott‘s absence in 2017 for the Cowboys. Dallas went 3-3 without their star running back and missed the playoffs that season. The Cowboys are 28-12 in the regular season with Elliott http://www.detroitlionsteamonline.com/austin-bryant-jersey , who also seeks a new deal.“Clearly, you seen what happened when Zeke was out. It was a completely different team,” Gordon said Saturday at SportsCon 2019 in Dallas. “You can replace average backs. Yeah, just plug them in. But a great back? You can’t just replace a great back. People think you can do that. You can’t. It will be a difference. It will be a difference, man. We do so much for people to even try to devalue us. We block. We’ve got to run the ball. We’ve got to pick up protections. We have to catch the ball. We have to do what receivers do. We have to do our thing. We have so much that goes through us.“I tell people the hardest position outside of quarterback. . . .That’s the only position [that’s harder] because you have to know so much. Outside of that, running back is the next hardest position on the field, and we should get paid as such.”Gordon’s representation informed the Chargers the running back won’t show up to training camp without a new deal Max Scharping Jersey , and he said Saturday he’s “prepared to do what I need to do.”Now, it’s up to the Chargers to decide how much they value Gordon and at what price.