The 2024 season may have been nationally recognized as Josh Allen's best, culminating in his first NFL MVP. His head coach, however, knows just how great Allen was even before that recognition.
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott glowingly spoke about his star quarterback on Monday during a media availability from Indianapolis at the NFL scouting combine. The Bills were extremely fortunate to have the league MVP under center this year, with Allen claiming his first MVP and seeing multiple NFL records in the process. Allen was only the third MVP in the Bills' history (joining Thurman Thomas and O.J. Simpson).
McDermott has also had the fortune of guiding Allen from a raw rookie prospect to a perennial All-Pro candidate. Considering that, he said that the 2024 MVP award had to be extremely validating for Allen, particularly given his hard work and evolution.
"It validates his leadership this year, the way he played on the field," said McDermott about the three-time Pro Bowl QB. "The way he's matured off the field, on the field. His decision making, how that's improved. ... As I said during the year, later in the year in particular, he deserved that."
Allen's 2024 season was similar to the three other seasons where he finished in the top five of MVP voting (2020, 2022, and 2023). And as far as the sheer numbers and yards, 2024 was the "worst" season stat-wise of those years.
This season, however, was Allen's most efficient season yet, despite not having a true No. 1 receiver after Stefon Diggs was traded. Allen made due by spreading the ball around to drive Buffalo to a 13-4 record, while posting a career-low in interceptions, with one of the highest-scoring offenses in the league, and knocking off both No. 1 seeds in Kansas City and Detroit.
It's been a long road for Allen and McDermott in their partnership. While winning the MVP is exciting, the Bills know that the true accolade on their tenure is winning the franchise's first Super Bowl together.
