ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) 鈥� The tears have long dried, though the pangs of regret remain for Josh Allen, who’s still coming to grips over what鈥檚 transpired in the 12 days since the Buffalo Bills were eliminated from the playoffs.
Add in having surgery for a broken bone in his right foot, and a sudden coaching change that to take over after Sean McDermott was fired, and Allen has had little time to catch his breath.
鈥淚鈥檓 still trying to take it all in,鈥� Allen said Thursday after attending Brady鈥檚 inaugural news conference.
鈥淭here鈥檚 just so many elements that come into play. Just trying to take it one day at a time,鈥� he added. 鈥淏ut I鈥檇 be lying to you if I didn鈥檛 say I鈥檓 still sick to my stomach about how the season ended.鈥�
Allen鈥檚 comments were his first since following a 33-30 overtime loss to Denver in a divisional-round playoff on Jan. 17. It was an outing in which his three touchdown passes were undone by committing four of Buffalo鈥檚 five turnovers.
As much as Allen is fully on board with Brady鈥檚 hiring in a search process he played a role in, the quarterback shouldered the blame for McDermott鈥檚 firing after nine seasons.
鈥淚鈥檝e got nothing but love and respect for coach McDermott,鈥� Allen said.
鈥淚f I make one more play that game in Denver, we鈥檙e probably not having this press conference right now. We鈥檙e probably not making a change,鈥� he added. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 the hard part to take in from my perspective, but that鈥檚 reality.鈥�
The loss proved to be the last straw for owner Terry Pegula, who called Allen to inform him of McDermott鈥檚 firing. Pegula felt the Bills had hit what he called 鈥渢he proverbial playoff wall鈥� under the coach, and feared the team was wasting Allen鈥檚 prime years, with the quarterback set to turn 30 in May.
Allen showed up Thursday with crutches and with a protective boot on his right foot. He expects to be fully healthy for the start of spring practices, adding he would have been able to play if Buffalo had a game this week.
Allen said he played through the injury after breaking the fifth metatarsal in his foot late in the second quarter of .
鈥淚t鈥檚 a little painful right now, but it wasn鈥檛 a crazy surgery,鈥� he said.
Allen also rallied to the defense of , who was drawn into McDermott鈥檚 dismissal following an underperforming season in which the second-year player was disciplined for showing up late to meetings.
Pegula interjected last week when questions were asked about Coleman and general manager Brandon Beane鈥檚 failure to improve the team鈥檚 group of receivers last offseason. Pegula said members of the coaching staff were to blame for pushing Beane to draft the player with the first pick of the second round in 2024.
鈥淗e will come back from that. I鈥檓 not going to give up on zero,鈥� Allen said, referring to Coleman鈥檚 number. 鈥淗e鈥檚 got too much ability and we鈥檙e gonna work tirelessly, him and me, and so will everybody else in this building.鈥�
Beane referred to Allen鈥檚 role in the interview process as a sounding board and as a representative for the players.
Allen said he felt awkward at times sitting in on the interviews. But he said the experience was ultimately beneficial in learning more about the Pegulas, Beane and even Brady, who was initially the Bills’ quarterback coach in 2022 before being promoted to coordinator midway through 2023.
鈥淚 looked at (Brady) the other day and he promised me and I promised him to hold each other to a standard and hold each other accountable and not get complacent of where we鈥檙e at,鈥� Allen said. 鈥淚 truly believe in the direction of this organization, starting from the top.鈥�
Aside from resting, Allen’s immediate offseason plans involve him preparing for the birth of his first child with his wife, actor Hailee Steinfeld, .
鈥淚鈥檓 very much looking forward to that. It鈥檚 something that I will take with great pride,鈥� Allen said. 鈥淭his is the most important thing I鈥檒l ever be in my life is being a dad. And I know I love being a football player, and I love being a quarterback for the Buffalo Bills. But I鈥檓 looking forward to this one.鈥�
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