Based on the layout of the AFC Playoffs this postseason, Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills received lofty expectations of finally reaching the Super Bowl.
That’s because the AFC bracket featured a glaring absence with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs not part of the playoff picture. Many individuals believed that gave Allen and the Bills a clear path to finally competing for the Lombardi Trophy, but unfortunately, that was not the case.
Instead, they ran into a challenging Denver Broncos team coached by Super Bowl-winning coach Sean Payton and led by young quarterback Bo Nix. A controversial play utlimately led to a heartbreaking overtime loss for Allen and the Bills, ousting them from the postseason before the Super Bowl, again.
During a recent appearance on FS1’s “First Things First,” Allen discussed failing to reach the Super Bowl and the pressure that comes with it.
“Every year that’s been my goal: to go win a Super Bowl and bring a trophy back to Western New York,” Allen said on FS1’s show Tuesday, adding, “Obviously that’s everybody’s goal in the league too. All 31 other teams are wanting the same thing.”
“That’s the ultimate goal, is to win a Super Bowl, and it takes so much throughout the season to get there and to go out and win it and I’m gonna keep working tirelessly until we get that opportunity to get it done,” he said, mentioning he’s never focused on the results as much as playing the game he loves.
“If the results come with that, hopefully they will, and I’ll be very ecstatic when they do, but if not, I’m gonna keep working to find that out,” he said.
FS1’s Chris Broussard brought up the narrative of Kansas City as the “Big Bad Wolf” in the AFC that Allen and the Bills never get past, and how it led people to talk more about Buffalo’s chances when the Chiefs didn’t make the postseason. However, Allen dismissed the notion that it was much of a thought for him and his teammate during the playoffs.
“We don’t really care so much about who’s in the playoffs with us, how to get there, or how to get it done. The short answer is we didn’t get it done this year, and that’s on us, that’s on me,” Allen admitted.
While he admitted he understood people mentioning that Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Joe Burrow didn’t appear in this year’s AFC Playoffs, Allen said there were still “some dang good teams” that made the postseason for a reason.
The Bills’ superstar also praised this year’s Super Bowl representatives, the AFC’s New England Patriots and the NFC’s Seattle Seahawks, as deserving of being there. When it comes down to it, he also admitted he’s rooting for Sam Darnold to win, who he knows well.
As Allen is again watching the Super Bowl from the outside, it seems to be still a significant goal of his, and one that has been a tough blemish on his impressive career thus far. However, based on his remarks, he’s continuing to work hard at the game he loves and wants to bring a trophy to Bills fans.
There’s also some renewed optimism with Buffalo for next season, as they’ve fired Sean McDermott from the head coach position and promoted offensive coordinator Joe Brady to the job, who seems fully committed to helping them achieve the success they have yet to achieve.
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