Buffalo Bills head coach Joe Brady delivered a clear warning to running back James Cook on Tuesday, cautioning that repeated ball security issues could soon cost the NFL’s reigning rushing leader his workload.
Speaking to reporters from the team’s hotel in Newport Beach, California, following a 37-34 overtime victory over the Los Angeles Rams, Brady made it plain that the coaching staff will not overlook costly miscues simply because Buffalo secured the win.
“Look, he’s doing so many good things running the football,” Brady told reporters, according to ESPN. “I don’t want to lose sight of how great he is running the ball right now. But putting the ball on the ground, it’s negating all the positive. I have all the confidence in him. That’s why I put him right back out there. But obviously, at some point there has to be consequences to when we’re putting negative stuff out there.”
Brady added a blunt bottom line: “It’s got to improve, or the carries are going to decrease.”
Near disaster in overtime
Cook put the football on the turf twice during Monday’s contest at SoFi Stadium, with the second fumble nearly sealing a Buffalo defeat. Just two minutes into the extra period, Cook lost the ball just outside the red zone, handing the Rams possession with an opportunity to win on any score. Disaster was averted only after edge rusher Greg Rousseau blocked a 48-yard field goal attempt by Los Angeles kicker Hunter Mevis, Yahoo Sports reported.
Buffalo then capitalized on the defensive stop. After quarterback Josh Allen scrambled for 32 yards and kicker Tyler Bass drilled a 45-yard field goal with under two minutes remaining, the Bills escaped with the victory to improve to 4-1 on the season.
Cook finished the game’s final possession with two carries for three yards. While Brady put Cook back onto the field immediately after the blocked kick, the coach opted to take the ball out of the running back’s hands in the closing moments to avoid any chance of another turnover.
A growing ball security problem
Despite his elite production, Cook’s turnover totals have mounted quickly. Over five games this season, the running back has fumbled four times, matching his combined total from the entire 2023 and 2024 campaigns, according to Yahoo Sports. Since the start of the 2025 season, including postseason games, Cook has coughed up 11 fumbles—the highest total in the league for any non-quarterback.
Cook remains one of the league’s most explosive offensive weapons. He led the NFL in rushing last season with 1,621 yards and has accumulated 532 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 95 attempts through five weeks this year, Pro Football Network reported.
“James understands when you hold the football, you’re holding the whole entire organization in his hands,” Brady said, as reported by ESPN. “When he’s running the football, there’s nobody else I want when he’s running it. But look, we’ve got to be able to come up with the football. Right now, he’s putting it out there.”
What lies ahead for Buffalo’s backfield
If Brady does choose to dial back Cook’s touches, the Bills have limited tested options in reserve. Allen is currently the roster’s second-leading rusher, while backup running backs Ray Davis and Ty Johnson have combined for only five carries and 11 yards all season, Yahoo Sports noted.
Cook’s miscues also arrive amid an unusually high wave of giveaways across the league. According to SportRadar data reported by Yahoo Sports, NFL players recorded 51 fumbles in Week 5 alone, pushing the league total to 206 through five weeks—the highest per-game pace since 2019.
The Bills are remaining in Southern California this week to conduct practices at UC Irvine. Buffalo will travel to face the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday before taking their Week 7 bye, providing Cook an immediate opportunity to demonstrate whether he can shore up his ball security before any playing-time penalties take effect.
