8 Best Buffalo Bills of All Time, Ranked

Since his second season, incumbent Buffalo Bills starting quarterback Josh Allen has turned the Bills from a basement-level team in the AFC East to a perennial NFL betting favourite. 

In addition to the current era, the Bills experienced considerable success in the 1990s. If online sports betting had been available during those days, the Bills of the 1990s would have had some of the top football odds.

Below are the eight best Bills players of all time.

Who Are the Best Buffalo Bills Ever?

1. Jim Kelly

Kelly owns absolutely every Bills all-time passing statistic: 35,467 passing yards, 237 touchdown passes, 4,779 attempts, and 2,874 completions. He’s the only quarterback with more than 100 wins, at 101. 

He began his career in the USFL, where he played for two seasons. After landing in Buffalo, he was named a second-team All-Pro, made five Pro Bowl appearances, led the NFL in passing touchdowns in 1991, was the NFL passer rating leader in 1990, and was the NFL completion percentage leader in 1990. 

2. Bruce Smith

If you go look up Bills’ all-time defensive leaders and sort them by sacks, your jaw will drop at how dominant Smith is compared to the rest of the defenders in franchise history. 

The No. 2 player in sacks is Aaron Schobel with 78. 

Smith is No. 1 with — and this isn’t a typo — 171 sacks. 

He has nearly 100 more than the next closest player in Bills history. He also recovered 14 fumbles, scored a touchdown, and forced the most fumbles with 35. 

Smith was a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, made nine first-team All-Pro squads, was named second-team All-Pro twice, made 11 Pro Bowl appearances, and was a two-time NFL forced fumbles co-leader. 

3. Thurman Thomas

Thomas played for the Bills from 1988 to 1999, and in that time, he became their all-time leading rusher with 11,938 yards, beating O.J. Simpson’s 10,183. 

He also ran for 65 touchdowns, another Bills record. 

Further, he holds the most carries in Bills history with 2,849. 

Thomas was named NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year in 1991 after rushing for 1,407 yards and seven touchdowns while adding 62 receptions for 631 yards and five scores. 

He was also a two-time first-team All-Pro, was named to the second team three times, and was invited to five Pro Bowls. The team retired his No. 34. 

In addition to his high rushing totals, he finished his career with 472 catches for 4,458 yards and 23 additional touchdowns. 

4. Andre Reed

No receiver in Bills history has topped 10,000 receiving yards besides Reed, who has 13,095 yards. He also holds Bills records in receiving touchdowns (86), receptions (941), and games played (221). 

He was named to two second-team All-Pro squads, went to seven Pro Bowls, is on the Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame, and is part of their 50th Anniversary Team. 

5. O.J. Simpson

Before Thomas came to town, Simpson was considered one of the best Bills ever. 

He had, as mentioned, 10,183 rushing yards and 57 touchdowns, on 2,123 attempts,  averaging 4.8 yards per carry. Today, he ranks second in Bills history in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and attempts. 

Simpson was the NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year in 1973. He was a five-time first-team All-Pro, was named to five Pro Bowls, was a four-time NFL rushing yards leader, and a two-time NFL rushing touchdowns leader. 

6. Joe DeLamielleure

A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, DeLamielleure played right guard for the Bills from 1973 to 1979. Over that time, he was a three-time first-team All-Pro, four-time second-team All-Pro, and went to six Pro Bowls. 

7. Josh Allen

He may be seventh now, but Allen is well on his way to being the No. 1 Bill ever. 

He broke into the league in 2018, and now, it’s only a matter of time before he passes Kelly’s records. 

Not only that, but Allen already ranks fourth in rushing yards in Bills history.

He’s made three Pro Bowls, was a second-team All-Pro in 2020 and 2024, and won the 2024 NFL MVP award. 

8. Steve Tasker

Tasker could be profiled as a wide receiver, but he only had 51 receptions for 779 yards and nine touchdowns.

So, how does he make this list? 

Well, he was arguably the best special teams player of all time. 

Tasker recorded 204 special teams tackles, had seven blocked punts, made seven Pro Bowls, received five first-team All-Pro nods, and was elected the first Pro Bowl MVP who played special teams. 

He’s not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame but is widely considered one of the biggest snubs of all time, landing at No. 9 on the NFL Network’s 2017 top 10 list of players not yet inducted.