The Bills were back in the facility less than 24 hours after their heartbreaking three-point loss to the Chiefs in the AFC Championship game. Players met one last time as a team, had exit interviews with coaches and cleaned out their lockers as they shift into the offseason.
Here are five things to know from Josh Allen’s final press conference of the 2024 season.
1. “You got to kick the door down, and we didn’t do that” – Allen reflects on Sunday’s loss
Josh Allen completed 65% of his passes (22/34) for 237 passing yards and had two passing touchdowns in Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs. Even though Allen made plenty of plays, finishing with a 104.7 passer rating and no turnovers, the QB goes back to the plays that didn’t go their way.
Allen said it “sucks” knowing they had the ball with three minutes left in the game and couldn’t come away with any points.
“You keep going back and thinking about what you could have done differently,” Allen said. “Plays even throughout the game, it’s something that’s so little, but dropping the snap on that 2nd & 6 and turning into a 3rd& 9 (Buffalo’s second drive of game). Where I probably catch the ball, and I dart it to Coop and it’s 3rd & 1 and one instead of 3rd & 9. Again, it’s not going to be in the stat sheet, but as a competitor, I think of those things of like, ‘Man, only if I could have done this differently.'”
Buffalo’s QB is also feeling for his tight end Dalton Kincaid and believes the 4th & 5 play on Buffalo’s final drive should not fall on Kincaid.
“I got to be better for him,” Allen said. “I didn’t feel like I put him in enough good situations this year, ball placement wise, even the one last night across the middle. I left it behind him, allowed 32 to make a play on it. He can sit there and think about that play over and over, but I got to be better for him.”
While the Bills fell short of the ultimate goal, they have plenty to be proud of this season. They won the AFC East for a fifth straight season and have won at least one playoff game five years in a row. Buffalo finished the season 15-5 with the second-best offense (averaged 30.88 points per game) and the 11th best defense (allowed 21.6) points per game.
Allen looks back on this season with a lot of pride, feeling grateful for the group inside the locker room.
“This is one of the more special units I’ve ever been around in my entire life, from Pop Warner through high school, college and in the NFL,” Allen said. “Guys truly cared about each other. Everyone kind of understood their role and their assignment, and we had a huge internal belief when we all got here for camp.”
The QB understands the playoffs aren’t promised to any team and after another loss to the Chiefs in the playoffs, Allen knows the team has to figure out how to overcome the obstacles.
We worked extremely hard to get to where we got,” Allen shared. “We’re constantly knocking at the door and you’re playing a team like the Chiefs, who have done it so well for so long. You got to not just knock, you got to kick the door down, and we didn’t do that.”
Allen said they’ll spend the offseason doing just that.
2. Allen weighs in on the Pro Bowl and where his body is at after Year 7
Josh Allen said he’s not anticipating needing anything medically done this offseason to recover from the season. Allen did admit that a new wrist injury popped up after Sunday’s game which might keep him from going to the Pro Bowl.
“I don’t know,” Allen said of his Pro Bowl plans. “I got a little banged-up hand right now, a wrist. So, I got to talk with docs right now and figure it out. But we’ll see.”
Allen said the injury happened right before halftime.
It was just right at the goal line,” Allen added. “The two-point play before halftime got crunched up a little bit. I was able to finish the game with just some swelling and stuff today.”
Up next for the QB, some time to heal.
“Get away, let the body heal,” Allen said. “Got bumps and bruises from last night, took a few shots. Just trying to make sure that my body’s in as good as condition as it can be given maybe a week or two and just kind of getting back to work.”
Allen finished his 2024 campaign with a career-low six interceptions and 14 sacks taken. The QB also passed Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly for most touchdowns in Bills history with 262 and tied Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas for most rushing touchdowns in Bills history with 65.
Allen has the most wins (76), total touchdowns (262) and total yards (30,595) of any player all-time in their first seven seasons. As Allen prepares for season No. 8, he wants to focus on the mechanics.
“I think mechanically just still staying on it, making sure that I’m seeing the right people and being as efficient as a passer as I can be,” Allen explained. “There’s times throughout the year where I’m working in practice and just things they don’t feel right, and I’m working all week to try to make sure that I get that feeling of the ball coming off the hand clean.”
3. Feeling confident in the returning players
At his end of season press conference, QB Josh Allen expressed his confidence in this group and his teammates from the 2024 season and heading into the 2025 season.
“Just making sure that we understand the vibe and really just the feel that we had in this locker room and try to have our core guys replicate that with anybody new that comes in,” Allen said.
The QB added that the returning players will make sure those who join the team during free agency understand what it means to be a part of the Bills locker room.
“We’ll figure that out as time rolls, but just making sure that we understand the vibe and really just the feel that we had in this locker room, and just try to have our core guys replicate that with anybody new that comes in,” Allen said. “Whoever comes into this building understands what it what it is to be a member of this locker room, to come in here and be themselves each and every day, to be the best version of themselves.”
Allen expressed confidence in the rookies that also contributed to this team, siting specifically WR Keon Coleman and RB Ray Davis who were key contributors throughout the season.
“I think you didn’t really feel like they were rookies all that much,” Allen said. “Ray Davis coming in and being kind of the hammer to our run game. Keon… I thought he made some spectacular plays throughout the season… We keep incorporating them and making sure that we’re developing them the right way and just try to get back on track for next year.”
RB James Cook also had his best season to date and Allen said that he is a special player that made special plays, especially against the Chiefs.
He was playing like a man possessed the entire year,” Allen said. “The way that he ran the ball, he ran angry. That play that he made last night on fourth down… it was a special play made by a special player, and every year that he’s been in the league, he’s gotten better, and looking forward to continuing that next year.”
He also expressed his pride in head coach Sean McDermott and seeing growth from him.
“I’m just so proud of coach,” Allen said. “I don’t know why he’s not recognized more in the awards stuff… time in and time out, he’s got us in position… He gives his life to this… And to see him adapt and really grow as a coach has been fun to watch.”
“From my first year here to now and the way that he’s kind of let players be them, really give us the keys to the team and lead it from down in that locker room, it’s not easy to do that and I respect the hell out of coach.”
When asked how he felt about his confidence to have McDermott as the head coach to lead the Bills to the Super Bowl, Allen kept his reply short.
4. How having Joe Brady for another season will benefit Buffalo
Offensive coordinator Joe Brady will be returning to the Bills for his second full season as offensive coordinator for the Bills in the 2025 campaign.
While Allen was happy and excited for Brady to be interviewed for head coaching positions, he did not hide the fact that he did not want Brady to leave and let it be known that having Brady back for a second full season will be impactful for this offense.
“Building off of what we’ve put in throughout the year and things that we like, and we dislike, and just trying to tweak certain things,” Allen said. “The end goal is to score one more point than our opponent and, we didn’t get that done, so throughout the entire off season, it’s going to be focusing on what can we do to make that a reality.”
Allen’s offensive line will all also be returning next season. The Bills offensive line kept Allen upright all year, making him the least sacked starting QB in the NFL. Allen said that having the offensive line return will help with the offense’s development and help them under Brady’s leadership.
5. What Amari Cooper and Mack Hollins meant to Buffalo
Wide receivers Amari Cooper and Mack Hollins were new additions to Buffalo’s offense who added some juice down the stretch. Hollins had two big-time catches of more than 30 yards in Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs (one for a touchdown), while Cooper caught all four of his targets for 33 yards.
Hollins led Buffalo with six receiving touchdowns (including playoffs) in his first season with the Bills. Cooper was traded to Buffalo in October and finished with 26 receptions, 338 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 12 games (including playoffs).
The two are set to become free agents in March. Allen reflected on how much they meant to the team this season.
“Mack’s juice and energy throughout the entire locker room,” Allen shared. “It’s infectious the way that he carries himself. He’s a competitor. And then with Coop, obviously coming in about halfway. I’ve got nothing but love and respect for Amari Cooper.”