“Going to make them look like they are the smartest people” - When Josh Allen opened up on getting drafted by Bills

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen won his first NFL MVP award last season. Since joining the franchise, he has transformed the Bills into one of the strongest teams in the AFC. However, known for being a late bloomer, Allen had a relatively slow start to his career.

Struggling to secure a Division I scholarship, Allen sent nearly 1,000 emails to various coaches before finally receiving responses from Eastern Michigan and Wyoming. By the time the 2018 NFL Draft arrived, the tables had turned, and the Buffalo Bills were willing to take a high-risk gamble to select him.

In an interview with ESPN, an excited Allen expressed his gratitude to the Bills organization for drafting him:

“I want to say thank you to the Bills organization for making the leap and putting their faith in me," Allen said. "I'm going to make them look like they are the smartest people out there.”

Although some mock drafts projected Allen as a potential No. 1 overall pick, concerns loomed over his accuracy. At Wyoming, he had a pass completion rate of just 56%, raising the alarm on that aspect of his game.

Despite this, Bills GM Brandon Beane made a bold move, striking a trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to move up from the No. 12 spot to No. 7. In exchange, the Bucs received the No. 12, No. 53, and No. 56 overall picks.

Josh Allen pays back Brandon Beane for the high-risk trade deal

According to draft trade charts, the Bills had overpaid in their pursuit of Allen. Reflecting on the decision in 2024, Beane addressed the criticism:

“We got criticized a little bit for how much we gave up for Josh. And I'm like, 'If he doesn't work out, I'm not going to be here anyway. And if he does work out, nobody is going to give a s---.'”

However, after meeting with Allen before the draft, Beane was convinced he was a generational talent needing refinement. To maximize his potential, the Bills paired him with offensive coordinators Brian Daboll, Ken Dorsey, and later Joe Brady.

Last season, Allen silenced every doubter, throwing for 3,731 yards with a 63.6% completion rate and 28 touchdowns. As a result, he secured his first NFL MVP award and was later inducted into the Wyoming Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025.