The Buffalo Bills announced on Wednesday they would be retiring Bruce Smith's No. 78 at the team's home opener in September. Smith will notably be just the second player in team history with his number in the proverbial rafters, joining Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly's No. 12.
From the sounds of it, a third player won't be far behind. When asked specifically about Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas, team president Russ Brandon gave a pretty telling answer about the future of 34.
"Stay tuned," Brandon coyly told WGR 550 in Buffalo. "Obviously, everyone knows Thurman's place. It will be interesting to see what happens with that number down the road, but you can read between the lines."
Thomas' No. 34 hasn't been reassigned since he last wore it in 1999, but it's not officially retired. The same could be said for 78, until yesterday. The other number that shares this distinction is O.J. Simpson's No. 32, which hasn't been been worn since 1977 when Simpson was traded.