How Bills' Josh Allen changed mindset after latest playoff heartbreak

Before Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was handed the MVP Award for the 2024 season this past February, he fell to 0-4 against the Kansas City Chiefs in postseason play via a 32-29 defeat in this year's AFC Championship Game.

On Thursday, ESPN's Alaina Getzenberg revealed how Allen experienced somewhat of a mindset change following Buffalo's latest playoff heartbreak. 

What Josh Allen is focused on amid pursuit of Super Bowl

"If we don't win, we're going to next year and we have a chance to win it next year," Allen explained. "And I think every year that I've had in this league, it's like, 'It's gotta be Super Bowl, it's gotta be Super Bowl,' and I think this year, I just want to be like, you know what? I just want to play football and whatever happens, happens, and focusing more on the process than the results and letting go of that expectation and going out there and just playing to the best of my abilities no matter what and just being where my feet are."

Allen's process has thus far produced positive results. According to StatMuse, only Russell Wilson of the New York Giants accumulated more combined passing and rushing yards (685) than Allen (631) over the season's first two weeks. Additionally, Allen notched two touchdown passes and two rushing scores across a pair of wins. 

As of Thursday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had Allen and Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson tied as the betting favorites at +320 odds to claim MVP honors for the ongoing campaign. 

"It's never been a goal of mine to win MVP," Allen shared. "If anything, it's been to win the Super Bowl MVP. I think that's the better of the two awards, and make no mistake, it's a very cool honor. I really do appreciate it, but it doesn't change my life. It doesn't change who I am, and to that point, it probably...winning a Super Bowl doesn't change who I am or change my life either. But it's something that the city's wanted for a very long time, and to feel like I can help be a piece that brings it here, that's more important to me than a singular trophy."

Josh Allen makes promise to Bills fans

Allen is fully aware that a Bills franchise that has never won a Super Bowl hasn't played in an edition of the "Big Game" since it lost four consecutive championship contests during the 1990s. While the 29-year-old isn't ready to offer a guarantee regarding what the 2025 Bills will accomplish, he wants members of the Buffalo faithful to know he's doing all he can to make their dreams come true. 

"I'm gonna do everything that I can to make it happen, but don't worry about it," Allen said. "Let's go out there and if I'm doing everything that I can and putting my best foot forward, sometimes the ball's gonna bounce the other way, and that's just the unfortunate part about what we play, but that's why we play, because the outcome is unknown and just going out there and enjoying the game that I love."

As of Thursday morning, ESPN BET had the Bills as 11.5-point favorites for the "Thursday Night Football" home game against an 0-2 Miami Dolphins team that seems to be an absolute mess.