The Buffalo Bills play their final game at Highmark Stadium on Sunday, Jan. 4. Week 18's matchup against the New York Jets is slated for 4:25 p.m. ET, and two former legends are ready to get Bills Mafia fired up before kickoff.

"How many times do you get to do a first, last, right?" former running back Thurman Thomas said. "You hear all the firsts, like Josh Allen's the first player to ever do this. He's the first player to ever do that. Well, this will be the last player – myself and Steve [Tasker] – doing this in a stadium where it won't be done anymore. And that'll be the end."

The former wide receiver started his NFL career with the Houston Oilers in 1985 after being drafted 226^th overall in the ninth round of that year's draft. In 1986 after playing two games with the Oilers, the Bills claimed Tasker off waivers in November. He had a 12-year career with Buffalo, helping the team get to four Super Bowl appearances and becoming a fan favorite in the process.

Tasker was a crucial special teams player, but also ended his career with 49 receptions for 760 yards and nine touchdowns on offense in the regular season. He had an additional 18 carries for 114 yards on the ground. In the postseason, Tasker had 14 receptions for 259 yards and one touchdown as well as four carries for 56 yards.

Over his career with the Bills, Tasker was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection.

ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN AN AUTOGRAPHED FOOTBALL BY STEVE TASKER & THURMAN THOMAS

Now watching the game from an outside perspective, Tasker has no doubt Buffalo can get the job done in the playoffs – even if it's on the road.

"They're a real problem for football teams to beat," Tasker said of the 2025 Bills. "I still think Josh Allen is the ultimate weapon. They've got that in their back pocket. James Cook is a force. Their offensive line is healthy and really effective. I just think this is a really, really good football team. I'm not afraid of them going on the road against any of these teams. Now, three in a row to get to the Super Bowl? That's a big ask, but if they play well on those three days, they'll be there."

Thomas joins Tasker on Sunday as the second Legend of the Game. Thomas was a second-round selection of the 1988 NFL Draft, going 40^th overall to Buffalo.

Other Legends in attendance include Jim Kelly, Derek Schouman, Steve Christie, Merv Krakau, John Fina, Andre Reed, Joe DeLamielleure, Darryl Talley, Jeff Nixon, Carl Byrum, Chris Villarrial, Ashton Youboty, Brian Moorman and George Wilson.

"Having one of my closest friends next to me, Steve Tasker, a guy that I've been communicating with since 1988 … it's going to be special moment for both of us," Thomas said. "I've actually been thinking about and, you know what? When I think about it, I get kind of sad because we played in that stadium. A lot of memories in that stadium."

In his 12-year career as a Bill, Thomas had 2,849 carries for 11,938 yards and 65 touchdowns. He also had 456 receptions for 4,341 yards and 22 receiving touchdowns. In the playoffs, Thomas had 339 carries for 1,442 yards and 16 touchdowns as well as 76 catches for 672 yards and five receiving scores.

"My first game in 1988, they introduced the players. And I was like, 'What? They're introducing the players? What do you mean?'" Thomas recalled, laughing. "I was like, 'Look, I don't think I'm ready for this.' They didn't do it in preseason, so I'm like, 'Oh my god? Really?'"

Thomas was a two-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection. In 1991, he was named the Associated Press' and Pro Football Writers of America's MVP. AP and UPI also named him its Offensive Player of the Year that season. Sporting News named Thomas its Player of the Year.

That season, he had 288 carries for 1,407 yards and seven scores. He also had 62 receptions for 631 yards and five receiving touchdowns. Thomas led the NFL in total scrimmage yards (2,038) and average yards per rush (4.9) as well. It was his third consecutive season leading the league in scrimmage yards, and he did it for a fourth consecutive season with 2,113 yards in 1992. In 1993, he led the league in touches (403) and carries (355).

In 2007, Thomas was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His No. 34 jersey was retired in 2018.

"Even though I didn't play for Kim and Terry Pegula, they still thought it was a good idea for my jersey to be retired," Thomas said. "When they came to me and said, 'We want to retire your jersey,' I mean, that's probably the best memory that I have in that stadium right now. It was a special night."

On Sunday, the former Bills teammates come back together to lead the charge and say goodbye to the historic Highmark Stadium as the last Legends of the Game.

"It's an honor," Tasker said. "Huge honor. No question."

Being in front of the crowd is something neither are unfamiliar with. Tasker recalls the difference between walking out onto the field for practice, saying it feels like playing on "the surface of the moon" or in "an empty warehouse," and running out of the tunnel faced with thousands of fans and how small it feels, almost like a closet.

While they're coming out onto the field for a different reason on Sunday, the feeling is no different.

"It's not football royalty," Tasker said. "We're like family … they treat us like family. It's not like royalty. It's better than that."

"It's just very emotional," Thomas said. "I've never been around anything like this before."