Khalil Shakir has finally climbed to the top of the Buffalo Bills depth chart after three years of waiting in 2024. After producing 772 receiving yards on just 65 targets in his first two seasons, Shakir established himself as Josh Allen’s premiere receiving option. This was after he hauled 821 receiving yards while fielding 76 of his 100 targets in the 2024 regular season.
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Now operating as the go-to option for Allen, the Boise State product still can’t help but to gush over the on-field heroics of his MVP award winning quarterback.
During a recent appearance on the Green Light with Chris Long podcast, Shakir recalled the Bills’ Week 11 showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs when asked about playing in what Long described as “football heaven.”
“I remember I kind of was on the left side, in the backfield, got through the line and ran a little flat to the right… I turn around and see Josh just take off… There’s a lot of times during a game when Josh will take off and he’s making guys miss or hurdling or doing all this crazy stuff, and I’ll catch myself just on the field just fangirling. I’m sitting there like, “Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness.” And then, in my head, I’m thinking “Oh, I should probably go block,” Shakir recalled.
Thankfully, for both Allen and Shakir, the fourth down run turned out to be a highlight reel moment. Attempting to hold on to their two-point lead, Allen’s last-minute scramble transformed into a 26-yard touchdown run.
Breaking the pylon with 2:17 remaining in the contest, Allen’s ability to shuck defenders proved to be the dagger in the contest as it resulted in a 30-21 regular season win for the Buffalo franchise.
Destined to be remembered as one of the stellar moments in the history of the franchise, the play also serves a testament to Shakir’s claims that “every game, there’s multiple plays where you’re just like this dude is a freak, man.”
Khalil Shakir reflects on Josh Allen’s 2024 MVP season
In recanting all the “crazy highlight plays of this past year,” Shakir pointed out an important change in the mindset of the team’s offensive unit. Noting that Allen did an infinitely better job at protecting the football while avoiding big hits this season, the Bills’ latest WR1 explained:
“He did a better job at making sure that if he had to go do it, he’d go do it. But if not, he would slide and get down… I think we just kind of realized, as an offense… if we can keep the ball safe and protect the ball, we’re going to win games.”
While their 13-4 record ultimately resulted in yet another defeat to Kansas City at the AFC Championship, Shakir and Allen will once again attempt to exercise their demons ahead of the 2025 regular season.
Having now helped his quarterback achieve MVP status, Shakir will presumably be locked into his role as the face of the Bills’ passing attack.
