Josh Allen is shifting his focus from the gridiron to fatherhood - and for the Buffalo Bills quarterback, it’s a transition that carries just as much weight as any playoff run.
After the Bills’ season came to a heartbreaking close in the Divisional Round - an overtime 33-30 loss to the Denver Broncos - Allen is now preparing for a different kind of milestone. He and his wife, actress Hailee Steinfeld, are expecting their first child, a moment that Allen says will be the most important of his life.
“I’ve known this for well in advance,” Allen said during Thursday’s press conference, which also marked the official introduction of new head coach Joe Brady. “I have siblings that have kids, I’ve got a lot of friends who have kids. I don’t know if you can plan too far in advance.”
That’s a fair point from a guy who’s spent his career adjusting on the fly - whether it’s reading defenses or extending plays with his legs. Now, he’s applying that same mindset to parenthood.
“I’m very much looking forward to that with my wife, becoming a dad,” Allen continued. “It’s something that I will take with great pride, and it’s something that we’re going to figure out as we go, like everything else.”
It’s a grounded, human moment from one of the NFL’s most electric quarterbacks - a reminder that even the fiercest competitors have lives and legacies beyond the field. And Allen made it clear: while he loves being the face of the Bills, this next chapter is the one that matters most.
“This is the most important thing I’ll ever be in my life - is being a dad,” he said. “I love being a football player, and I love being a quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, but I’m looking forward to this one.”
Still, Allen isn’t stepping away from football entirely. In fact, he’s already working his way back from a significant injury.
On Thursday, he revealed that he underwent surgery to repair a broken bone in his right foot - specifically, the fifth metatarsal. The injury happened back on December 21 during the first half of Buffalo’s 23-20 win over the Browns.
True to form, Allen played through the pain, finishing that game and gutting it out for the rest of the regular season. By the time the playoffs rolled around, he was still battling the injury - a testament to his toughness, but also a glimpse into just how much he was carrying down the stretch.
Now, post-surgery and sporting a protective boot, Allen says he expects to be at full strength by the time spring practices roll around. That’s good news for a Bills team entering a new era under head coach Joe Brady.
Allen was present at Brady’s introductory press conference and even took part in the team’s six-day head coaching search, sitting in on interviews as the organization weighed nine candidates. It’s clear that Allen isn’t just the franchise quarterback - he’s a central figure in shaping the team’s future.
But even as the Bills turn the page, Allen is still wrestling with how this past season ended. That overtime loss to Denver isn’t something he’s ready to move on from just yet.
“If I make one more play, that game in Denver, we’re probably not having this press conference right now,” he said. “We’re probably not making a change.
In all honesty, we’re probably getting ready to play another game. I’d be lying to you if I didn’t say I was still sick to my stomach about how the season ended.”
It’s a brutally honest reflection from a player who holds himself to the highest standard. And while Allen can’t change the past, he’s clearly using it as fuel - both for the next season and for the next phase of his life.
As far as offseasons go, this one is shaping up to be a big one for Josh Allen. A new head coach.
A return from injury. And, most importantly, a new title on the horizon: Dad.