Why Josh Allen Will Cost NFL Coaches and GM’s Their Jobs
The Buffalo Bills are arguably the best team in the NFL. The reason it's arguably is because despite the success the Bills have seen the last two years, they have yet to get over the hump and make it to a Super Bowl with the current roster and coaching staff.
The Bills are the odds-on favorites to win the Super Bowl in Arizona in February of 2023 and the number one reason is because of who is playing under center.
Josh Allen is entering his fifth season with the Bills and after his last two seasons and unbelievable playoff run against the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs, is now regarded by most as one of the top two or three quarterbacks in the NFL.
Allen's the prototypical example of potential paying off a team drafting based off that potential. He has every tool possible. Amazing arm, tough, smart, incredible athlete and the size you dream of with a QB who already has those skillsets.
In his four seasons with the Bills, Allen has made the playoffs three times and has led the Bills to back-to-back AFC East titles. He's the only quarterback in NFL history to start his career with 100 passing touchdowns and 25 rushing touchdowns.
However, even though the Bills have succeeded in their faith in Allen, despite his limited sample size and rawness out of Wyoming, doesn't necessarily mean his career path will equate to other NFL quarterbacks.
You may have seen the discussion on social media lately regarding third-year QBs such as Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa, who perhaps could take a huge leap forward in their third season like Josh did.
I think it's safe to say Allen was an outlier.
Tua and Hurts have far different skillets than Allen. Neither are as big and neither have the arm strength of Allen. While Hurts is a threat as a runner, he isn't going to bulldoze defenders like Allen and Tua is a limited athlete when the pocket breaks down.
Before Allen exploded in year three, the thought from NFL executives and coaching staffs was if the quarterback doesn't show significant progression by the end of year two, it likely won't happen.
We remember this with E.J. Manuel, who was taken out as a starting quarterback by the Bills in the middle of his second season starting for the team, in favor of Kyle Orton (2014).
How many executives and coaching staffs (owners too) who say "hey, Josh Allen made that huge stride in year three, why can't our guy do it?"
Most quarterbacks don't have the array of skills Allen does and another point to be made is Josh's limited sample size in college. He only attempted 649 passes in three seasons, while Hurts attempted 1,047 at Alabama and Oklahoma, both schools playing in a superior conference (SEC, Big 12).
Tua and Hurts have good teams on paper, which should help them take a step forward and two new(er) head coaches, so chances of Nick Sirianni or Mike McDaniel losing their jobs after 2022 is slim, but we will likely see quarterbacks get more time to prove themselves in the next few seasons, because off how Allen did it.
Not all situations are created equal though. Allen's success on a three-year basis could indirectly cause NFL head coaches and GM's to lose their jobs.