Yardbarker
x
Bills GM fires back at Josh Allen 'overrated' take
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Bills GM fires back at Josh Allen 'overrated' take

Before veteran players from every NFL team reported to training camp, a story shared how one unnamed veteran league executive referred to Buffalo Bills starting quarterback Josh Allen as "one of the more overrated players in the NFL."

Bills general manager Brandon Beane responded to that piece while speaking with reporters on Wednesday.

"There's idiots everywhere," Beane directly said, as shared by Grant Gordon of the NFL's website. "...You try to ignore this stuff, but Josh is going into year seven and there's still the naysayers. I don't get it. If I was going to use rated, I would say underrated before I would say overrated."

Allen is widely regarded as one of the top overall players at the sport's most important position but also isn't without flaws. StatMuse shows that no signal-caller has committed more regular-season turnovers than Allen (102) since 2018. He's responsible for a 5-5 career playoff record and zero Super Bowl appearances, while on-the-field rival Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs is a three-time champion and three-time Super Bowl Most Valuable Player.

"I know people love the rankings of whoever -- but when you don't put your name to it and you make comments like that. Like, who is this executive? Executive is a loose term," Beane continued. "I was probably referred to as an executive well before I should have been. I just say, if you're not going to put your name on it, we really shouldn't validate it."

As of Thursday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Allen tied for third among the betting favorites at +900 odds to win the MVP Award for the upcoming regular season. That outlet also had the Bills fourth among the favorites at +800 odds to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LIX.

Allen certainly would silence critics by getting his hands on multiple trophies this winter. Beane indicated his QB1 needs no extra motivation provided by so-called bulletin-board material.

"He's got a natural chip, and I don't think what this person said would change that," Beane added about Allen's supposed reaction to the unnamed executive. "I think he's coming in this year with a chip. He wants a title. He wants it. Every year that we don't win it, it's digging a deeper chip, and I think that's what motivates him."

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!