Josh Allen once again disrespected at the national level, but history tells us the league just made a huge mistake

Can’t wait to see how Allen responds in 2025.

Adam Zientek — NFL News Writer
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Jan 19, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens during the second quarter in a 2025 AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium.
© Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills have found their franchise quarterback in Josh Allen. On draft day, there were some rumblings of the team taking “the wrong Josh.” Since then, after countless critics pointed out that Allen’s inaccuracy issues in college would be a detriment to his game, he’s shut down nearly everyone and has become not only a household name, but one of the best quarterbacks in the entire league.

Allen was ranked No. 3 in the NFL Top 100, behind Lamar Jackson and Saquon Barkley. It’s a huge honor for a player who was told he wouldn’t amount to anything in the league, but still short of where he should be ranked. Counting him out was the biggest mistake — he’s ready to take the league by storm, again.

Allen is No. 3 on the NFL’s Top 100

Allen earned the No. 3 spot after finding himself ranked No. 12 just a season ago. During his MVP campaign, plenty were writing him off, pointing to Lamar Jackson’s stats and not looking at Buffalo more closely. It was clear that Allen was the MVP, and that’s by no means meant to insult Jackson or the Ravens. However, at the end of the day, Allen was the most valuable to his team.

He didn’t have an All-Pro player (or Pro Bowl) beside him, and while Cook found the end zone early and often throughout the season, he was no Derrick Henry. It was a neck-and-neck race as Allen received 27 votes compared to Jackson’s 23, bringing home the hardware. Jackson and the Ravens had two All-Pro members on offense in Patrick Ricard and Henry, while Allen had zero.

As for Mahomes, Allen got a win over his rival in a big way heading into the 2025 season. Mahomes attempted nearly 100 more passes in 2024 than Allen, finishing his season with 3,928 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. The Bills quarterback surely will take a win over the Chiefs in the playoffs over being ranked higher on the list, but it’s an incredible testament to the work Allen has put in, not just in the offseason, but throughout his NFL career.

Allen has a history of silencing critics

Ahead of the 2024 season, Allen was awarded the best trash-talker. He followed it up with an MVP season and winning a sportsmanship award. Having Allen be voted best trash-talker and winning a sportsmanship award is hilarious. He finished his MVP season by going 307 for 483 (63.6%), for 3,731 yards and 28 touchdowns with six interceptions. On the ground, Allen was lethal, adding 12 touchdowns on 102 carries for an additional 531 yards. And just for good measure, he added a receiving touchdown that was by far our favorite play of the 2024 season. Doubting Allen is never smart, and while he got his flowers, we wouldn’t be surprised if he uses this as motivation.

During the NFL Top 100’s video, they interviewed a host of players from across the league and asked them to give their take on the player in question. For Allen, some of the responses were pure gold.

What other players had to say about Allen

  • Mitch Morse, former center: “Number one player in the NFL this year. Probably Josh Allen.”
  • Zaire Franklin, Colts LB: “Oof, the toughest player to match up against? He made this one play against us. It was at the end of the half. We had him backed up. We dropped back, I covered the route perfectly. He rolls out. He jukes three of our D linemen. I’ve never seen a pass like this. I’ve never seen a pass come so fast and then just drop like straight down. 45 yards on the run.”
  • Dion Dawkins, Bills T: “Josh Allen. Josh, you know, he put a capital ‘S’ on that Superman chest of his,” Dawkins said. “Week in and week out, Josh continues to show why he’s the league’s MVP.” He continued, “Josh Allen, Josh Allen, Josh Allen. Josh Allen is the pinnacle of a football player. He is the Mecca.”
  • George Kittle, 49ers TE: “In my opinion right now, Josh Allen,” Kittle said. “I mean, against us, he threw a ball to a receiver and then ran over to him, and he pitched it to him and then ran in for a touchdown. So I think he had like a rushing touchdown, a receiving touchdown, and a throwing touchdown all in the same game. And then when you have a guy that’s 6-foot-5, can run, break tackles, and also throw 70-yard bombs and then roll out to the right, and he’s like six inches from the sideline, and he can throw it across his body like 50 yards down the field, there’s not really any defense for that.”
  • Brock Purdy, 49ers QB: “I would probably say Josh Allen,” Purdy said. “You know he can throw touchdowns, run touchdowns. And then we even saw him firsthand catch a ball and dive for a touchdown. That’s crazy. So he’s done it all for his team this year for sure.”
  • Taron Johnson, Bills CB: “I think the best player in the league is Josh Allen.”
  • Justin Simmons, S: “I got to go Josh Allen,” Simmons said. “Every week, man, you just – it seems like there’s a new highlight play.”
  • E.J. Speed, Texans LB: “Hands down, it’s gonna be Josh Allen.”
  • Damar Hamlin, Bills S: “J.A. 17,” Hamlin said. “That’s my favorite player in the world. That’s what makes you great, when you can line up in a game and just defend 60 plays. But when those plays, you got to defend two plays in one, the first initial play, and then you got to defend the scramble play. Just let me use my legs, my receiver’s going to get open, and I’m going to throw it to him anywhere they out on the field. That’s hard to defend.” Hamlin continued, “He’ll truck you. He’ll jump over you. He’ll stiff you. He’ll outrun you. He’ll juke you. Throw it over your head, so you know, he can really do everything.”
  • Christian Gonzalez, Patriots CB: “Being able to extend the play, I mean, I feel like that’s one of his best things, is he can run around back there and extend the play and let his receivers get open,” Gonzalez said.
  • Mike Sainristil, Commanders CB: “He could beat you with his arm, and he could run the ball,” Sainristil said. “And he’s one of the ones that might try to run somebody over, too.”

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