Troy Aikman explains why Josh Allen doesn’t need to shoulder all of the pressure that he put on himself heading into 2026
Troy Aikman was recently asked about expectations for Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. He specifically sent a helpful message to Allen about navigating what will be a pressure-laden 2026 season.
Troy Aikman knows what it’s like to play under pressure, as he was a focal point and major catalyst behind one of the NFL’s most dominant dynasties.
That’s why his latest message to Buffalo Bills superstar quarterback Josh Allen holds weight. Aikman recently appeared on ESPN’s Get Up and was asked his thoughts on the expectations for Allen and the Bills in 2026.
After noting last year’s disappointment, Aikman went on to explain the situation Allen put himself in by putting his cards in for Joe Brady. Allen was heavily involved the process to promote Brady to head coach, but Aikman believes it’s important for the former MVP to avoid getting completely caught up in all the noise.
“I think [it’s] the same even, maybe more, for Josh Allen,” Troy Aikman said regarding the amount of pressure Josh Allen is under heading into 2026. “Because they had had a lot of success with Sean McDermott. Of course, Allen’s had a lot of success. He’s an MVP player as well…
“… So they bring in Joe Brady, and now the expectations are that he’s going to be the guy to get them over the hump and get them into the Super Bowl. And so I understand, as Josh, what he might be feeling right now going into this. And you know, my advice, if I had any for him, would be to just try to not put so much on his shoulders, just be him.”
Troy Aikman is right and Josh Allen doesn’t need to constantly play the hero in 2026
The last thing Allen needs to do this year is put himself in a mindset where he has to go out every single week and carry the Bills. Yes, he’s the face of the franchise and arguably the best quarterback in the NFL. At the same time though, he has James Cook in the backfield and a good enough defense on the other side of the ball.
The Bills also added DJ Moore and Skyler Bell to the receiving room over the offseason. Moore should come in and be a viable No. 1 target that allows Khalil Shakir to see more favorable matchups and Bell is a speedster who can take it to the house at any given time.
Allen is most certainly the engine that makes everything go – there’s no doubt about that. But if he can just lean into what he has and not try and too much like Aikman says, then he might just finally get over that hump and make the first Super Bowl appearance of his career.