Josh Allen Says He 'Proved' Bills Didn't Make a Mistake by Drafting Him in 2018

After leading the Buffalo Bills to their first AFC Championship Game appearance in more than two decades, quarterback Josh Allen said he has finally demonstrated his worth to the team that drafted him with the No. 7 pick in 2018.

"I proved they didn't make a mistake by drafting me," Allen told reporters Monday. "I'm just trying to help this team win (however) I can."

Though Buffalo's playoff run ended Sunday with a 38-24 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Allen had a breakout season that put him squarely in the mix for being named the league's MVP. 

For just a taste of the criticism that Allen has faced since joining the league, ESPN's Kevin Van Valkenburg compiled some of the strongest takes earlier this month, highlighted by a note from Football Outsiders that there weren't enough statistics to save him as "every piece of empirical evidence ... leads to him being a failure." 

"He's a highly competitive, mature player," Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll said. "That's why we selected him. We did a lot of due diligence on him. He's about leadership, toughness, competitiveness. I'm proud of the way he handles himself for the Buffalo Bills. He's done a lot for this team."

The Wyoming product earned his first Pro Bowl nod this season after throwing for a career-high 4,544 passing yards and 37 touchdowns. He also boosted his completion percentage by nearly 11 points, going from 58.8 en route to a Wild Card Game in 2019 to 69.2 this season. Neither Tom Brady nor Peyton Manning has accomplished such a drastic feat, according to Van Valkenburg.

Luckily for the Bills, Allen is under contract to make $6.91 million in 2021 and has a fifth-year option for 2022, so they could be back right where they left off next season.