Josh Allen Owns Bills’ Playoff Exit, Not Blaming Injuries: “A Couple Throws I Wish I Had Back”
Josh Allen isn’t leaning on excuses. Not the foot injury.
Not the busted nose. Not even the fact that he played through pain in the most critical stretch of the Buffalo Bills’ season.
Instead, he’s putting the divisional round loss to the Denver Broncos squarely on his own shoulders.
When asked if injuries played a role in the Bills’ early playoff exit, Allen didn’t flinch.
“No I don't think so,” Allen told Sports Illustrated. “More so decision making and a couple of throws I wish I had back - that ultimately would have changed it.”
That’s vintage Allen - competitive to the core, brutally honest, and always willing to take accountability. But that doesn’t mean he wasn’t battling through some serious physical limitations.
Playing Hurt, Competing Hard
Allen played through a broken bone in his right foot, an injury that required surgery and reportedly occurred before the Bills’ postseason opener against the Cleveland Browns. That’s not a minor tweak - it’s the kind of injury that can sap explosiveness, limit mobility, and alter mechanics. Still, Allen suited up and gave everything he had.
He also suffered a busted nose during a quarterback sneak in the Wild Card round against the Jacksonville Jaguars. While that injury was more cosmetic, the foot issue clearly impacted his ability to extend plays and tap into the dual-threat dynamism that’s defined so much of his game.
And yet, Allen refused to point to the injury report as the reason for the loss. That says something about how he views leadership - and how he views his own performance.
A New Era in Buffalo
Now, the Bills enter a new chapter. Sean McDermott, the head coach who drafted Allen in the first round back in 2018 and helped shape the franchise’s identity, is out. Allen, now a veteran face of the league, was reportedly involved in internal discussions about who should take the reins.
The answer? Joe Brady - elevated from offensive coordinator to head coach.
Brady becomes just the second head coach Allen has played for in his NFL career, and their existing rapport should help ease the transition. But there’s still work to be done, especially with Allen expected to miss up to 10 weeks as he recovers from foot surgery.
That timeline could hold him out of early voluntary workouts, though the expectation is that he’ll be ready in time for OTAs. In the meantime, the Bills may need to lean on a backup to guide the offense through the early part of the offseason program.
Looking Ahead
For all the frustrations of another playoff run cut short, Allen’s approach offers a clear signal: he’s not running from the moment. He’s owning it. And with a new coach, a healing body, and a chip on his shoulder, there’s every reason to believe Allen and the Bills will come back hungry.
This offseason marks a pivotal stretch for Buffalo. A new voice in the locker room, a franchise quarterback on the mend, and a team still chasing that elusive Super Bowl breakthrough. The pieces are still in place - and Allen, even banged up, remains the centerpiece.
Now it’s about turning hard lessons into fuel. And if Allen’s mindset is any indication, the Bills aren’t planning on fading quietly.