The conversation around Josh Allen has been a peculiar one this offseason. With a golden opportunity to take the Buffalo Bills to their first Super Bowl in over three decades, with three of his biggest rivals in the AFC out of the playoff picture, the former MVP came up short.
As a result, the organization chose to make a head coaching change, while loading up on star talent around him. For another former MVP, though, the conversations and rankings this offseason don’t align with the production we’ve seen from the franchise star in recent years.
Josh Allen Doesn’t Deserve the Crown
The past shift to Joe Brady as the offensive coordinator had led to a significant change in play styles for Allen, and Brady has now been promoted to head coach. Rather than going for the high-risk, high-reward plays on a consistent basis, the team opted for a more conservative approach.
As a result, shorter passes and an emphasis on the running game became key to their success. But the ultimate metric for Allen has continued to be the postseason. As one of the most prolific quarterbacks in recent memory, the onus of expectations has been through the roof.
But so far, he hasn’t come through, sometimes through sheer bad luck, and his own poor play has cost Buffalo at other times. The 2025 season was an example of the latter, especially with Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Joe Burrow all missing the playoffs.
As injuries derailed their season, it seemed like the four-time Pro Bowler had a clear path to the Super Bowl. But after a shaky victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Allen had a woeful game against the Denver Broncos.
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Even though he threw for 283 yards and ran for 66, his overall play was largely disappointing. Despite his lofty yardage numbers, he gave up two interceptions, including their final play in overtime. Moreover, he also had two fumbles, which included a critical turnover near the end of the first half.
As a result, Cam Newton was unimpressed with the idea of Allen being the kingpin of NFL quarterbacks heading into 2026. On the latest “4th & 1” podcast, he revealed his reasoning for not having the Bills’ superstar as the best quarterback in the league.
“First off, Josh Allen. The top? Five. Top five for sure. But the top, brother? Matthew Bartholomew Stafford has been playing lights out for the last three years. He’s the top. Okay? Reigning MVP, he’s the top.”
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Going a step further, he laid into the disastrous performance against the Broncos as the clear-cut difference between the last two MVPs and how they affected their team’s chances of winning, particularly in the postseason.
“As if to say Josh Allen ain’t the reason why his team lost the last game versus Denver. What you doing before the halftime? Talking about the top of the list, you’re supposed to be the reason why we win, not why we lose.”
Ultimately, though, even after calling Allen his “favorite player,” there was one particular thing with him that the Carolina Panthers legend believed was a clear double standard from every other superstar quarterback in the league.
“But this is the thing about Josh Allen. I love me some Josh. He’s probably my favorite player to watch. But he don’t get the blame like everybody else. You would have thought Josh Allen has Patrick Mahomes’ resume [with the way he’s being discussed].”
Last year, the numbers for Allen weren’t as spectacular as they typically have been. As a result, he finished at number 9 on PFSN’s QB Impact Metrics while the Bills lost their vice grip over the AFC East as well, falling behind the New England Patriots.
It remains to be seen if this can be a bounce-back year for the veteran star. With a new head coach and a superstar wide receiver on the roster, all the pieces are in place for him to finally lead the Bills to the promised land.
Perhaps that elusive playoff run will finally help him achieve uno status in the eyes of fans, media, and former players alike.
