Thomas Rips Bills as Showdown Looms

If the Buffalo Bills needed more incentive to defeat the archrival Miami Dolphins on Sunday, the Dolphins’ Thurman Thomas upped the ante.

Thomas, the Bills’ all-time leading rusher who signed with the Dolphins after being cut by the Bills, ripped into the organization and three veteran defensive stalwarts in particular in a story published Monday in the Miami Herald.

“Those guys and the organization as a whole, every time I get the ball, I’m going to try to stick it and let them know I didn’t forget what happened in the off-season and the past couple of years,” Thomas said, singling out Phil Hansen and Henry Jones, the Bills’ two current longest-serving players, as well as linebacker John Holecek.

The comments come as the Bills (2-2), losers of their last two games, prepare for a big AFC East showdown against the Dolphins (4-1).

Whatever Thomas’ motivations were, the Bills weren’t biting.

“We know Thurman. I think he’s pulling everybody’s chain,” Bill Coach Wade Phillips said. “He’s a great guy and a great leader. He’ll do whatever it takes. . . . Thurman’s got his own reasons for everything. He’s a special guy as far as leadership is concerned, we all know that.”