1976 Profile: Jim Braxton

Running Back
No. 34
West Virginia
"He labors in the shadow of O.J., but gets the tough inside yardage for the Bills and yet is fast enough to break away for an occasional long run.
'Yeah,' he says, 'Juice gets the ink, but he recognizes what I do- and so does the team.'"

-John Devaney, Schenley Pro Football Guide 1976

"Braxton's rushing, receiving and scoring totals in 1975 reflected the best performance in his five-year career. His rushing total (823 yards) would have led 14 other teams.
Jim's best day was a 34-carry, 165-yard performance against St. Louis when he scored three touchdowns. He also went over 100 yards against Denver (17-102) and New England (23-101), and scored three touchdowns against Baltimore, Denver and St. Louis. He has scored three touchdowns four different times and has four 100-yard rushing games.
In the last two years Braxton has rushed for 1,366 yards, caught 44 passes for 353 yards and scored 19 touchdowns. His current career rushing total of 2,387 yards ranks him fourth among all-time Bills rushers.
Jim's first start for Buffalo was in the second game of the 1972 season. He was a backfield reserve as a rookie when a preseason ankle injury slowed his development. He's a devastating blocker, strong power runner and sure-handed receiver slowly moving out of O.J. Simpson's shadow.
A first-team All-America selection in 1970 as a fullback for Bobby Bowden's West Virginia Moutaineers, Braxton won an invitation to the East-West Shrine game. In a statewide vote, he was chosen as West Virginia's Most Outstanding Amateur Athlete. He was a discus thrower for the WVU track team.
One of nine children, Jim's college major was physical education and social studies. He works during the off-season with the West Virginia Board of Education and the Governor's Manpower Office. His duties include speaking around the state to groups of young people, working particularly in the areas of vocational education and dropout prevention. His hobbies are cards, music and coin collecting."

-1976 Buffalo Bills Yearbook