Josh Allen Breaks Silence After Being Benched By Bills For Opener

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Oct 30, 2025, 12:34 AM

josh allen breaks silence after being benched by bills for opener

Josh Allen isn't taking the field this Saturday when the Buffalo Bills open their preseason slate against the New York Giants - and he's completely fine with that. Following practice today, the superstar quarterback broke his silence about head coach Sean McDermott’s decision, backing his coach fully. “He’s the guy in charge, and I trust him,” Allen said. No drama. No questions. Just a veteran player putting team over snaps in August.

It's not hard to read between the lines here: McDermott is keeping his franchise quarterback wrapped in bubble wrap with the regular season in mind. And honestly, it's the prudent move. Allen is coming off the best season of his career - one that ended with him hoisting the NFL MVP trophy for the first time. There’s nothing he needs to prove in a preseason opener. Earlier this week, the Buffalo Bills secured their future by signing quarterback Josh Allen to a record six year, $330 million contract that included $250 million guaranteed, as reported by ESPN. The deal was the largest guaranteed dollar figure ever given to an NFL player and is also the second highest annual value in the league behind only Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.

Despite the serious bread he raked in with the new deal, Allen actually took less than he could have in an attempt to help the Bills' brass continue to put together the right pieces... Recently, Allen spoke on what went into that selfless decision. “What's five more going to do for my life than what I can do right now? I wasn't looking to kill them every chance I could and told my agent that,” said Allen, per Sal Capaccio of ExtraPointWGR on X, formerly Twitter. Allen was also asked what it would mean for him to start and finish his career in Buffalo, answering that he “still (has) a long way to go before we think about the end,... Allen brought home the NFL MVP award for his efforts in the 2024 season, the first such award of his career, edging out Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson in the process.

It's not very often NFL fans see an official on one of the team's sidelines talking to a star quarterback in the middle of a game, but that is exactly what happened during the... The CBS broadcast captured Bill Vinovich talking with Josh Allen on Buffalo's bench after the quarterback was upset there wasn't a defensive holding called in the end zone on a drive that stalled in... As Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network relayed, Allen explained after the game that Vinovich was just attempting to calm him down: Fortunately for Allen and the Bills, the missed call didn't impact the outcome. Buffalo fell behind 7-0 in the opening minutes but rolled to a 31-7 victory by scoring the next 31 points. Allen was unstoppable in the second half and finished 20-of-26 passing for 272 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions.

The Buffalo Bills secured their franchise quarterback for the foreseeable future, signing Josh Allen to a record-breaking six-year, $330 million contract earlier this week. The deal, which includes $250 million in guaranteed money, sets a new benchmark for guaranteed contracts in the NFL, second only in annual value to Dak Prescott’s deal with the Dallas Cowboys. While the staggering numbers grabbed headlines, Allen’s approach to negotiations stood out just as much. The reigning NFL MVP opted to take slightly less than he could have commanded, prioritizing Buffalo’s ability to build a strong roster around him. Allen made it clear that his decision was about more than just maximizing his payday. Speaking with Sal Capaccio of ExtraPointWGR, Allen explained his reasoning: “What’s five more going to do for my life than what I can do right now?

I wasn’t looking to kill them every chance I could and told my agent that.” On his contract and maybe taking less than what he could have. "What's 5 more going to do for my life than what I can do right now? I wasn't looking to kill them every chance I could and told my agent that." Said he wanted his agent to consider cap ramifications in negotiations. With the financial security of his blockbuster contract, Allen remains focused on the present and his ultimate goal- bringing a Super Bowl to Buffalo. When asked about the prospect of spending his entire career with the Bills, he kept his sights on the task at hand.

Written by sports fans for sports fans since 2007, Total Pro Sports covers breaking news both on and off the field and across the sports landscape. TPS readers can stay up to date with stories on trends, in-depth analysis, controversies, and more. The Buffalo Bills secured their franchise quarterback for the foreseeable future, signing Josh Allen to a record-breaking six-year, $330 million contract earlier this week. The deal, which includes $250 million in guaranteed money, sets a new benchmark for guaranteed contracts in the NFL, second only in annual value to Dak Prescott’s deal with the Dallas Cowboys. While the staggering numbers grabbed headlines, Allen’s approach to negotiations stood out just as much. The reigning NFL MVP opted to take slightly less than he could have commanded, prioritizing Buffalo’s ability to build a strong roster around him.

Allen made it clear that his decision was about more than just maximizing his payday. Speaking with Sal Capaccio of ExtraPointWGR , Allen explained his reasoning: “What’s five more going to do for my life than what I can do right now? I wasn’t looking to kill them every chance I could and told my agent that.” With the financial security of his blockbuster contract, Allen remains focused on the present and his ultimate goal- bringing a Super Bowl to Buffalo. When asked about the prospect of spending his entire career with the Bills, he kept his sights on the task at hand. The Buffalo Bills suffered yet another heartbreaking loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2024 NFL Playoffs.

However, in a season where they were focused on clearing up their cap situation, an AFC Championship Game appearance might have been the best possible outcome. Now, with a much more aggressive offseason approach, Buffalo has been spending big in free agency, adding key pieces to strengthen the roster. And it has certainly made MVP quarterback Josh Allen a believer in the team’s chances. Coming out of their playoff loss, it was clear the Bills needed to improve in two key areas. The first was their defense, which had taken a noticeable step back. Ranking 18th in PFSN’s Defense+ metric, they struggled to get crucial stops when it mattered most.

The second issue was more complex. Despite finishing fourth in PFSN’s Offense+ metric and scoring 30 or more points in eight straight games, Buffalo’s passing attack lacked creativity and a true game-changing threat. That predictability allowed teams like the Ravens and Chiefs to capitalize in high-stakes matchups. Addressing those concerns, the Bills made a splash by acquiring Joey Bosa and Joshua Palmer—moves that directly strengthen both sides of the ball. The Buffalo Bills rewarded Josh Allen with a record-setting contract, just before free agency began, on the heels of an MVP season that came a few plays shy of a Super Bowl berth. Allen’s new deal, a six-year contract extension, will make him the highest-paid player in the history of the sport, at $300 million which includes $250 million fully guaranteed.

Only Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott makes more per year, than Allen will under the terms of his new contract. “I wasn’t looking to absolutely kill them at every chance I could, and I told my agent that,” Allen told on Wednesday. “I was like, if it has any impact on the cap, let’s figure out a way to not do that. Both sides were willing to move and change different things and it was a pretty calm-mannered negotiation is what I can say from both sides.” “When you kind of look back at it, the only thing missing is finishing our season with a win,” he added. “That’s really the only thing I’m thinking about, just trying to continue to get better and find a way to bring a Lombardi Trophy to western New York.”

Follow Matt Lombardo on Threads at @MattLombardoNFL. To read more of our articles and in-depth NFL coverage, click here.

Josh Allen Breaks Silence After Being Benched By Bills For Opener

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