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Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) reacts to his second touchdown to regain the lead against the Chiefs. Jamie Germano/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

History shows it’s way too soon to judge Josh Allen’s legacy

By Mike J. Asti | Last updated 1/22/24

Josh Allen and his Buffalo Bills lost to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs again. But does that mean Allen and his Bills won’t ever get over the hump and advance to a Super Bowl? The answer to that question is unknown, but it’s way too early in Allen’s career to even be asking.

On Sunday night, Allen completed 66.7% of his passes and accounted for 258 yards passing and rushing. He was responsible for all three Bills touchdowns (one passing, two rushing) and didn't turn the ball over. Conversely, Mahomes totaled 234 yards and threw for two touchdowns.

One quarterback won and the other lost. But in reality, football is a team game and the Chiefs beat the Bills far more than Mahomes beat Allen.

It's fair to rank Mahomes — who has two Super Bowl rings to zero for Allen — ahead of Buffalo's star QB. Mahomes has advanced to the AFC title game for the sixth straight season and accomplished far more. Allen is 5-5 in the postseason, but at 27, he still has plenty of time to change the narrative of his career.

Former Pro Bowler-turned-NFL analyst Ryan Clark argued Allen must be held accountable for his team’s failures in the postseason.

“At some point, y'all gotta say he’s coming up short,” Clark said on multiple ESPN shows Monday.

While that's true, Clark failed to acknowledge the counterpoint brought up by colleagues Dan Orlovsky, a former NFL QB, and Mike Greenberg.

Ryan Clark got Dan Orlovsky with this point in debating Josh Allen. Nglpic.twitter.com/fOi1fnFkH4
— David Furones (@DavidFurones_) January 22, 2024

Is it Allen who is coming up short or is he running into Mahomes and a team building a dynasty? Could he just be going down the same path as other legends?

Much is made about Allen’s carelessness in the regular season, but he has played almost error-free in the playoffs, throwing for 2,723 yards, 21 touchdowns and four interceptions in 10 games. It’s tough to argue he hasn’t been good enough or must do more. He hasn't played perfectly, but he has played at a level above all his peers except for Mahomes.

Perhaps with Allen vs. Mahomes, history is simply repeating itself. Think of Allen as Peyton Manning and Mahomes as Tom Brady. There was a time when the question “Can he ever do it?” dogged Manning. He would follow MVP regular seasons with disappointing losses in the playoffs, often to Brady and the Patriots.

But like Mahomes now, Brady was on a team during a dynasty and Brady’s kicker didn’t miss a critical field goal at the end of a big game. Manning’s once did and Allen’s did Sunday night.

Manning’s Colts eventually conquered Brady and the Patriots. And once they did, they reached two Super Bowls and Manning earned that once-elusive Super Bowl ring. He would return twice more to the Super Bowl with the Broncos, winning a second title.

Manning’s career shows we must let a career play out before judging it. Allen, like Manning before him, still has another decade of trying to get past Mahomes.

To be fair, it’s also possible that Allen could become one of the all-time greats to never win a ring.

That's the story of Jim Kelly, a Bills legend who lost four straight Super Bowls. That's the story of many all-time greats across sports history. Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing and Karl Malone are considered among the best players in NBA history, but none of them won an NBA title. Does that mean they weren’t truly great? Of course not. They ran up against Michael Jordan and the dynastic Chicago Bulls, who won six championships in the 1990s.

For now, though, it's way too soon to judge Allen's legacy. Be patient, and let's enjoy the ride.

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