Jan 17, 2026; Denver, CO, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) throws during the first quarter of an AFC Divisional Round playoff game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Joe Brady's Expectation for Josh Allen When Bills Start OTAs Next Week

Originally posted on Buffalo Bills on SI
By Ralph Ventre | Last updated Apr 1, 2026 4:12 PM ET

While Josh Allen is more than a football player, it's hard to find a professional gridder more dedicated to his craft than the Buffalo Bills' five-time NFL MVP finalist.

The 29-year-old Allen, who has proudly built a 139-game consecutive starts streak, will seemingly do everything possible to ensure his game-day availability. He has played through shoulder, elbow, knee, ankle, hand and foot injuries over the past half-decade.

Beginning midway through Buffalo's Week 16 road tilt against the Cleveland Browns this past December, Allen played the remainder of the 2025 season, including two playoff games, with a broken bone in his foot.

"Josh sets the tone with everything that we do," said first-year head coach Joe Brady at the league meetings in Phoenix on Tuesday.

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Although Organized Team Activities (OTAs) are a far cry from game days, Allen will almost definitely be present when the Bills kick off Phase 1 on April 7 in Orchard Park.

"I'm not sitting in this chair without Josh. We're in this together, and we gotta hold each other accountable. I know how important that is for him to be, especially Day 1, he's gonna be sitting in that chair, hoping that everybody else will as well," said Brady.

Life milestone on horizon

The only reason why Allen's Day 1 attendance is even a question is due to the fact that he and wife Hailee Steinfeld are expecting their first child this spring.

With the due date initially presumed to fall some time in late March or early April, Allen could be summoned to the delivery room at any moment. After hearing the quarterback speak about the life milestone in late January, one must think he won't want to miss the birth of his first child.

“I don't know if you can plan too far in advance. So I'm very much looking forward to that with my wife, of becoming a dad. It's something that I will take with great pride," said Allen. "We're going to have to figure things out on the go, just like anything else. But this is the most important thing, all over being 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'm looking forward to this one.”

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Brady, who has a strong working relationship with Allen, praised the quarterback for his commitment to the Bills.

"When you're Josh Allen, you got marketing, you got stuff, now you got family," said Brady after reminding his audience that OTAs are entirely voluntary. "I'm understanding of guys might not be able to be there every single day at every single moment. What I know is if Josh can, he will."

Allen walks the walk

After signing mega contract last spring, Allen was present and accounted for when OTAs began in 2025. He registered near-perfect attendance during all three voluntary phases.

Later on that spring, he attended practices in Orchard Park less than one week prior to his California wedding.

It was also no surprise to see Allen at Brady's introductory press conference i. January. He's truly the face of the franchise.