James Cook

Cook grew up in Miami and attended Miami Central Senior High School, where he rushed for 2,019 yards and 30 touchdowns during his high school career. He was rated a four-star recruit and initially committed to Florida State, where his older brother Dalvin Cook was playing, before choosing Georgia after considering offers from Louisville and Florida.

Cook played four seasons for the Georgia Bulldogs from 2018 through 2021. His production increased during his senior season, when he recorded 728 rushing yards and seven touchdowns along with 27 receptions for 284 yards and four receiving touchdowns. He missed the 2021 Peach Bowl following his father's death.

In the Orange Bowl semifinal against Michigan, Cook was Georgia's leading receiver with four catches for 112 yards and a touchdown. Georgia won the national championship after defeating Alabama in the College Football Playoff title game, and Cook subsequently declared for the 2022 NFL draft.

The Buffalo Bills selected Cook in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft with the 63rd overall pick. He made his NFL debut against the Los Angeles Rams, fumbling after a two-yard gain on his first professional carry. His first NFL touchdown came in Week 5 on a 24-yard run against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Cook finished his rookie season with 507 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns, plus 21 receptions for 180 yards and a receiving touchdown. He also scored a rushing touchdown in Buffalo's Wild Card Round victory over the Miami Dolphins.

Cook became Buffalo's primary running back in 2023 after Devin Singletary left the team. Against the Dallas Cowboys that season, he set career highs with 179 rushing yards and 221 scrimmage yards while scoring two touchdowns. He surpassed 1,000 rushing yards the following week against the Los Angeles Chargers, becoming the first Bills running back to reach that mark since LeSean McCoy in 2017. Cook earned his first Pro Bowl selection after the season.

Cook produced three touchdowns in Buffalo's 2024 victory over the Miami Dolphins, earning AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. He also posted two rushing touchdowns in games against the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions, and scored both a rushing and receiving touchdown against the New England Patriots.

He finished the 2024 regular season with 16 rushing touchdowns, tying the Buffalo Bills' single-season franchise record set by O. J. Simpson in 1975. Cook also tied Derrick Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs for the NFL rushing-touchdown lead and earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl selection.

In the 2024 postseason, Cook rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown in Buffalo's Wild Card victory over the Denver Broncos. He later recorded 134 scrimmage yards and two rushing touchdowns in the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Cook opened the 2025 season with at least 100 total yards and a rushing touchdown in each of his first four games, helping Buffalo win all four contests. He earned AFC Offensive Player of the Month honors for September.

Against the Carolina Panthers, Cook rushed for a career-high 216 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries in a 40-9 Bills victory. He later surpassed 1,500 rushing yards for the season during a December game against the Cleveland Browns.

Cook finished 2025 with 1,621 rushing yards, becoming the first Buffalo Bills player to lead the NFL in rushing since 1976. He also earned his third straight Pro Bowl selection.