Josh Allen is getting unfairly blamed for something that will actually make the Bills a much better team in 2026
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is the victim of one of the most ridiculous narratives this offseason.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is the victim of one of the most ridiculous narratives this offseason.
With the 2026 NFL season still a month away and training camp in its dog days, reporters are reaching for storylines. The latest target is Allen’s influence on the Bills’ offense under new head coach Joe Brady.
And it makes no sense.
The Athletic’s Mike Sando appeared on Damon Amendolara’s show and suggested there’s been some frustration with Allen having too much influence on protections and other aspects of the offense. The concern, apparently, is that with Brady now serving as Buffalo’s head coach rather than just the offensive coordinator, Allen will have even greater control over the offense.
“They’re going to be good,” said Sando. “Josh Allen’s going to make them good. But within that, is it too much of a good thing when your play-caller goes from kind of being your confidante and maybe a little more of a friend than the head coach could be, to now going into that head coaching job. I think that is an interesting transition to make, when clearly before with (previous Bills head coach) Sean McDermott, he was in charge.
“I’m sure he went along with a lot of stuff Josh Allen wanted to do, but there was a little bit more of a check and balance there, I think. So now, what does it mean? Is Josh Allen more empowered? I’ve heard whispers and people complaining a little bit in the league about the fact Josh Allen gets to kind of do the pass protections how he wants them, I think that’s been a little bit of a source of frustration on the staff, at times, in the past. Is that a good or a bad thing if that’s enabled more? Those would be the concerns. Not so much Josh Allen, I think we know he’s going to be a star. Just as you try to get over the top, are these fine-tuned changes good? Maybe not quite as good.”
I don’t get this. At all.
In today’s NFL, the relationship between the quarterback and the head coach is extremely important. You want those guys to be close. Zac Taylor and Joe Burrow in Cincinnati. Sean Payton and Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles. Kevin O’Connell and whoever his quarterback is in any given year in Minnesota. Dave Canales and Bryce Young in Carolina. Sean Payton and Bo Nix in Denver, etc.
When the head coach and the quarterback are on the same page, the offense runs a lot smoother. When there’s pushback and disagreements during games, that’s when things can get shaky. There’s always going to be some of that behind the scenes, and that’s healthy. Even when there is a strong relationship, there will be moments where the coach and the quarterback aren’t aligned, and they have to work through it. That’s just human nature.
But you want those guys to have a great relationship and to be in lockstep with each other.
The Bills’ offense should benefit from this dynamic, not suffer from it
If anything, I think the Bills offense is going to take a big step forward in 2026. The old dynamic had Josh Allen, Joe Brady, and then Sean McDermott as the guy in charge. Now it’s just Allen and Brady. Whatever they think is the right call, that’s what they’re going to go with. If it doesn’t work, they’ll make adjustments. They’re pros. They’ve been around the game for a long time.
To suggest that Allen’s influence on the offense is going to be an issue seems silly. I think it’s quite the opposite. Allen and Brady operating without another voice (McDermott) looming as someone with veto power should be a huge benefit for Buffalo heading into the 2026 season.
