The Buffalo Bills made a massive change following their 33-30 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos in the divisional round of the playoffs when the Bills fired head coach Sean McDermott.
Fair or not, the perception exists that Buffalo promoted offensive coordinator Joe Brady to serve as McDermott’s replacement because star quarterback Josh Allen wanted to continue playing for Brady. During Tuesday’s edition of the ESPN “Get Up” program, Hall of Fame quarterback and “Monday Night Football” commentator Troy Aikman offered Allen some useful advice regarding how to handle all that is expected of the Bills heading into the 2026 season.
Josh Allen shouldn’t try to do too much during games?
“My advice, if I had any for him, would be to just try to not put so much on his shoulders,” Aikman said about Allen. “Just be him. What I know of Josh, he’s a beloved guy in that locker room. The players respect him so much. …He’s always complimentary of his teammates. I expect him to handle it perfectly, but I’m as excited as anybody.”
The last time fans saw Allen in action, he committed four turnovers in Buffalo’s loss to Denver. After that game, a teary-eyed Allen acknowledged that he felt he “let [his] teammates down” with his performance that helped prevent him from making what could have become the first Super Bowl appearance of his career.
Perhaps the most frustrating part about the Bills’ latest playoff heartbreak for Allen and Co. was that both Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes failed to lead their teams to the playoffs. The combination of Allen and McDermott went 0-4 against the Chiefs in the playoffs from 2021 until McDermott was dismissed.
Bills are lucky to have Josh Allen despite lack of championships
“I’ve known him since he came out of college,” Aikman added about Allen. “I worked that draft, and to watch what he’s been able to do in the NFL has been remarkable. He is the perfect guy for that city, and they’re lucky to have him.”
Allen turns 30 years old on May 21 of this year, so he should have more than one opportunity left to reach the Super Bowl mountaintop during his career. That said, questions about his ability to win on the biggest stages may only grow louder if he isn’t playing on the final Sunday of the season in February 2027.