Josh Allen isn’t pretending the Bills’ decision to move on from Sean McDermott sits lightly with him.
Months after Buffalo’s 33-30 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos in the divisional round of the playoffs, the quarterback is still carrying that January defeat with him. Speaking to reporters after that game, Allen was in tears as he took responsibility for the loss. Now, in a Friday piece by NFL insider Michael Silver of The Athletic, Allen admitted he “still harbors guilt for McDermott’s dismissal.”
“I think about that all the time,” Allen told Silver. “There are certain plays throughout the game - and that’s going to be every game - where you’re like, 'I could have done more.' And I always feel like I can do more.”
Allen’s four turnovers against Denver were a major part of that collapse, but the Bills’ winter reset wasn’t built on one night alone. Buffalo also went 0-4 against the Kansas City Chiefs in the postseason during the Allen-McDermott era, and the team never broke through to a Super Bowl with the pair in place.
There was also plenty of noise around Buffalo’s coaching search, especially when Joe Brady ended up getting the job. Some reports had claimed Allen had “significant say” in that decision, feeding the idea that he wanted Brady - who served as Buffalo’s offensive coordinator when Allen won MVP honors for the 2024 regular season - to keep steering the offense.
Silver reported that the reality was different. “sources familiar with the coaching search insist that while Allen asked questions of candidates and provided input after the interviews, he was never included in discussions about who to hire.” Allen also made it clear to Silver that Brady “went out there and he earned” the job.
“The way that he interviewed, how hard he works as a coach, and the success that we’ve had as an offense over the last few years - he earned it,” Allen added.
The Bills remain in the mix as the Super Bowl LXI picture starts to take shape. As of Friday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had Buffalo and the Baltimore Ravens tied for second among the betting favorites at +1000.
Allen, who has been with the Bills since the 2018 draft, said recently that he believes Buffalo’s championship window is still there. In his words, the Super Bowl door is “going to open at some point” if the team keeps knocking.
And if you ask Dawson Knox, Allen has already fully leaned into the pressure that comes with chasing it. The tight end said Allen has taken on a Super-Bowl-or-bust mentality for the upcoming season.
“He carries the weight of a whole fan base, of a whole city, on his shoulders - gracefully,” Knox said about Allen. “If there’s anyone who’s built for it, it’s him.
But that guy puts on the cape, man, and no one else can wear it like he does. We’re not afraid to talk about it: We want to win this Super Bowl for this fan base, for this city, for the whole state - but we also want to win the Super Bowl for [Allen].”
In Other News...
Bills Fans Already Have A Real Debate About New Highmark Stadium
The Bills are settling into Highmark Stadium for the 2026 NFL season, and the first wave of fan reaction has already turned into a familiar kind of debate. Replacing the old Orchard Park stadium always meant comparisons were inevitable, and the early reviews have landed where these things often do: plenty of praise for the seating layout and sightlines, but immediate nitpicks about details that matter once people are actually in the building.
Some fans have zeroed in on the smaller scoreboards, while others are talking about the upper-deck stairways and how demanding they look in person. It is the kind of split verdict that can follow a new stadium for a while, especially in Buffalo, where expectations around game-day atmosphere are part of the identity. The bigger backdrop is the team itself, with Joe Brady taking over as head coach and Josh Allen helping steer the Bills into a new era, even as the conversation around the building keeps moving between what is new and what still needs to prove itself. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Backfield Suddenly Has A New Concern Fans Will Feel
Ty Johnsons day took an unsettling turn at Bills practice when the running back went down while running at full speed in a 1-on-1 drill and had to be helped off the field by training staff. He was in obvious pain after injuring his right knee, a scene that immediately raised concern for a team already dealing with a run of recent injuries around the roster.
For Buffalo, the timing matters almost as much as the injury itself. Johnson has been part of the backfield picture, and any setback there can ripple quickly through a depth chart that needs stability heading into the season. If the knee issue keeps him out for any length of time, the Bills may have to sort through their next options sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Allen Keeps A Bills Summer Tradition Going At New Highmark
The Bills used their Return of the Blue & Red practice at Highmark Stadium to give fans an early look at their new gray Nickel City alternate uniforms, and Josh Allen once again made sure the reveal had a little extra flair. Allen wore the full gray look with a metallic royal blue Charge helmet, extending a summer habit that has become part of the annual event as much as the practice itself.
The quarterback wasnt the only one dressed for the occasion, either. Quarterbacks, punters and kickers were in the gray uniforms, while the rest of the offense worked in blue practice jerseys and the defense in white, giving the session a distinct split-field feel. For a team opening a new chapter at a new Highmark, even a routine summer practice carried a little more visual punch than usual. [Read more 🡒]