If you thought a nagging foot injury was going to keep Josh Allen on the sidelines for the final regular-season curtain call at Highmark Stadium, you clearly haven’t been paying attention to the Buffalo Bills’ QB1.
After a week of speculation, missed practices, and a collective holding of breath across Western New York, the verdict is in. Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott didn’t mince words on Friday: Allen is “good to go.”
Allen Grits It Out Once Again
The drama started late in the first half of the Bills’ frustrating 13-12 loss to the Eagles. Allen aggravated a lingering foot issue, eventually leaving the stadium in just his socks after negative X-rays. When he sat out practice on Wednesday and Thursday, the panic button was definitely within reach for the Bills Mafia.
But Friday changed the narrative. Allen returned to practice on a limited basis, and McDermott confirmed Sunday’s game against the New York Jets isn’t going to be a rest day. It’s a testament to Allen’s toughness.
Keeping the Iron Man Streak Alive
There is something undeniably old-school about how Allen approaches the game. In an era where “load management” is creeping into every sport, Allen takes immense pride in posting up every single Sunday.
He is currently sitting on a streak of 121 consecutive regular-season starts. If you toss the playoffs into the mix, that number jumps to 134. Since returning from an injury during his rookie campaign in 2018, he hasn’t missed a single kickoff. That is the longest active streak for a quarterback in the NFL.
Allen isn’t just playing for the stats; he’s playing for the locker room. As he told reporters earlier in the week, “I take a lot of pride in being out there for my teammates.”
Playoff Positioning and Record-Breaking Potential
Some might ask: Why risk it? The Bills are 11-5 and locked into the postseason. Why trot your franchise cornerstone out there against a 3-13 Jets team that’s already booked vacations?
Two reasons: Seeding and history.
Right now, Buffalo is sitting in the No. 7 seed. A win, combined with some help from the Texans or Chargers losing, could vault them up to the No. 5 or No. 6 spot. In the playoff gauntlet, facing a lower seed in the Wild Card round matters.
Then there is the history book. Allen enters Sunday with 39 total touchdowns on the season. One more score puts him at 40. Hitting that mark would make him the first player in NFL history to record 40 total touchdowns in six consecutive seasons. It is hard to imagine he wants to sit on the bench knowing he’s one goal-line plunge away from standing alone in the record books.
A Proper Send-Off
Finally, there is the emotional weight of Sunday. This is the Bills’ final regular-season game at Highmark Stadium before moving to their new digs next year. “The Ralph” has seen heartache, joy, and a whole lot of broken tables. It wouldn’t feel right to close the doors on that venue with Mitch Trubisky under center.
Expect Allen to start, hopefully light up the scoreboard early, secure that 40th touchdown, and then grab a baseball cap while the backups finish off the Jets. It is the perfect script for a farewell to a stadium that has defined Buffalo football for decades.
