ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Josh Allen has faced skepticism since his days at Reedley Community College in central California. Recently, he found a chance to share a light-hearted exchange with one of his critics, Pro Football Hall of Famer John Elway, during a celebrity golf event. Allen took the opportunity to ask Elway why he chose not to select him in the 2018 NFL Draft, specifically at the fifth pick, just before the Buffalo Bills moved up to choose Allen, a prospect with a strong athletic profile from Wyoming.
While Allen chose not to delve deeper into their conversation, he expressed admiration for Elway, labeling him an “awesome man” and indicating he holds great respect for him. Elway has since reflected on that fateful draft day, labeling it as “probably my biggest mistake of my GM days” during a podcast appearance last summer. Although Elway’s regret has waned with the arrival of rookie Bo Nix, he still acknowledges that selecting defensive end Bradley Chubb over Allen remains a relevant topic.
This Sunday, Allen and the Bills, who finished the regular season with a 13-4 record and clinched the AFC East title, are set to face off against the seventh-seeded Denver Broncos (10-7) in the wild-card playoff round. The Broncos are returning to the playoffs for the first time since their Super Bowl win in 2015. In the years following that championship, Denver cycled through nine quarterbacks, beginning with Case Keenum to Russell Wilson, until Nix secured the starting role this season.
Allen, now 28 years old, has successfully propelled Buffalo into the playoffs for six consecutive years. He has demonstrated notable improvement, addressing initial concerns regarding his accuracy and mechanics by breaking numerous franchise records for passing and scoring within a single season. This year, Allen has emerged as a contender for the NFL MVP award, despite facing challenges such as the absence of top wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. He has also been labeled overrated on two occasions—first by an unnamed NFL executive in July and subsequently in an August ESPN poll of 103 anonymous players.
Regarding the criticism directed at him, Allen maintained a positive outlook, stating, “There are two things I can control: my attitude and my effort. What everybody else says is their own prerogative.” He has accomplished notable feats including earning 76 career wins and amassing over 30,000 passing yards within his first seven seasons—an uncommon achievement in the league. Even without surpassing 4,000 yards this year for the first time since 2019, Allen maintained high performance, totaling over 40 touchdowns (28 by passing, 12 by rushing, and one receiving) for the fifth consecutive year.
Under his leadership, the Bills became the first NFL team to score 30 touchdowns both through the air and on the ground while throwing just six interceptions—this last figure being the fourth fewest by a starting quarterback. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady praised Allen for his commitment to winning, noting that “he’s as special as they come.”
Allen’s ability to rally his team from significant deficits is well-noted. He has achieved this three times, including an impressive opening game win against Arizona, where the team scored 24 points across five critical drives just after halftime. His standout moment this year was a dramatic 26-yard touchdown run on fourth down that secured a win against the previously unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs.
When discussing Elway’s reflections on drafting decisions, Buffalo’s coach Sean McDermott remarked on the fortune of having Allen on their roster. He highlighted not only Allen’s on-field performance but also his contributions off the field through charity work, emphasizing that these aspects are equally significant.
Allen was one of five quarterbacks selected in the 2018 draft and is now one of only two, along with Lamar Jackson of Baltimore, to remain with their original teams. In retrospect, it’s easy to see why the Broncos opted for Chubb at the time, especially considering they had just acquired Keenum as their new starting quarterback. Chubb has since made two Pro Bowl appearances and was traded to Miami in 2022.
Reflecting on his journey and the decisions that were made, Allen concluded, “Hindsight is 20-20. Who knows how it would have worked out? I’m just glad I’m where I’m at.”
