Josh Allen has already built the résumé of a potential Hall of Famer. The missing line remains the one Buffalo Bills fans have been waiting for years: a Super Bowl appearance.
Myron Medcalf Raises Dan Marino Comparison for Josh Allen
ESPN analyst Myron Medcalf believes 2026 could become a defining season for that pursuit. During Monday’s edition of “First Take,” Medcalf argued that another postseason miss could shift the conversation from when Allen will reach the Super Bowl to whether he ever will.
“What happens if, yet again, Josh Allen does not win, or I’ll take it a step further, doesn’t reach the Super Bowl this year?” show host Shae Cornette asked.
Medcalf did not question Allen’s standing among the NFL’s best quarterbacks but said, “I think he’s still a top-tier quarterback no matter what happens. I think we just have more of a conversation about whether or not his window is closing.”
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He pointed to an AFC landscape that looks different from the one Allen has repeatedly tried to navigate. Patrick Mahomes is returning from a significant knee injury, while Bo Nix and Drake Maye have emerged as young contenders in Denver and New England. Medcalf also argued that Lamar Jackson has not been at his best recently.
“So I think this could be the opportunity,” Medcalf said. “If he misses it, I think a lot of people wonder if he’s ever going to get one.”
Then came the comparison.
“He just might be on his way to being the next Dan Marino of this generation.”
“He just might be on his way to being the next Dan Marino of this generation.”@MedcalfByESPN thinks Josh Allen’s Super Bowl win window may be closing 😳 pic.twitter.com/ANKFbQEobG
— First Take (@FirstTake) August 17, 2026
Marino provides a sharp historical reference. The Hall of Famer reached Super Bowl XIX after his record-setting 1984 season, lost 38-16 to the San Francisco 49ers, and never returned.
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Bills’ Playoff Pressure Continues to Grow
Allen’s résumé gives Medcalf’s warning its weight. He is a four-time Pro Bowler, the 2024 NFL MVP, and one of the league’s premier dual-threat quarterbacks.
PFN’s QB Impact Metric graded Allen at 80.3 for the 2025 season, ranking ninth among qualifying quarterbacks. He finished with 3,668 passing yards, 25 passing touchdowns, and 579 rushing yards while scoring 14 times on the ground.
The postseason has supplied the frustration. Buffalo is 8-7 in playoff games started by Allen and has lost in the Divisional Round in four of the past five seasons. The latest exit came in January, when Denver beat Buffalo 33-30 in overtime, adding another chapter to the Bills’ playoff pressure.
Buffalo responded by replacing Sean McDermott with former offensive coordinator Joe Brady. The mission did not require much translation.
Allen is only 30 and remains under contract through 2030, so one season will not literally close his championship window. Medcalf’s point is about opportunity. Buffalo has spent years possessing the quarterback most teams spend decades trying to find.
Marino’s career is proof that greatness does not guarantee a ring. For Allen, 2026 offers another chance to make sure the comparison never gets more comfortable.
