Josh Allen has carried the bulk of the Buffalo Bills’ offense since 2018. But he took things to a whole new level last season. Nearly everything the Bills did on the field ran through him, and because of him.
Advertisement
Allen’s outstanding performances not only earned widespread praise but also culminated in his first-ever NFL MVP award. Now, as he enters a new season, the pressure is on to deliver once again.
Winning back-to-back MVPs is a rare feat, but Allen has shown he’s capable of chasing history as he continues to pursue the ultimate goal: Bringing a Super Bowl to Buffalo. Even if he doesn’t repeat as MVP, Allen is still on the verge of achieving something that will further solidify his legacy in Bills’ history.
In seven seasons as the franchise quarterback, Allen has thrown for 26,434 yards, completing 2,296 passes with an average of 7.3 yards per attempt as per Pro Football Reference. That puts him third all-time in passing yards for the Bills.
He’s now just 1,157 yards away from overtaking Joe Ferguson for second spot on the franchise’s all-time passing list. Ferguson, who played 12 of his 17 NFL seasons in Buffalo (1973 to 1984), finished with 27,590 passing yards. However, his numbers, while impressive for his era, pale in comparison to Allen’s efficiency.
Ferguson had a losing record as a starter, completed just 52.5 percent of his passes, and threw more interceptions (190) than touchdowns (181). Allen, by contrast, boasts a 63.3 percent completion rate and a much better touchdown-to-interception ratio.
While Allen is closing in on Ferguson, reaching the top spot this season is unlikely. That honor currently belongs to Hall of Famer Jim Kelly, who threw for 35,467 yards during his career with the Bills.
Kelly was the face of the franchise during the late 1980s and early ’90s, famously leading the team to four consecutive Super Bowl appearances. To surpass him, Allen needs another 9,033 yards, something that will likely take at least two more full seasons.
Still, Allen’s consistency makes the milestone feel inevitable. He has never thrown for fewer than 3,000 yards in any season in which he’s played all 16 or 17 games. If he stays healthy, he will almost certainly pass Ferguson this year and keep inching closer to Kelly.
But one thing is clear: Allen is not just chasing individual records or accolades. He’s chasing greatness. And whether it’s another MVP or the long-awaited Super Bowl, he’s doing everything he can to deliver for Buffalo.
