Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen has procedure on right foot
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen had played out the end of the season with a broken fifth metatarsal in his right foot. Bills general manager and president of football operations Brandon Beane said that Allen had a procedure for his foot on Monday.
Josh Allen had plenty of matters to address on Thursday as he took the podium at One Bills Drive. But the first questions were about how the Buffalo Bills quarterback got there: on crutches, with his right foot in a boot.
Speaking for the first time since the Bills’ season ended Jan. 17 with their overtime loss in the AFC divisional playoffs at Denver, Allen started off with his foot.
“If we had a game this week, I would be playing this week, absolutely,” Allen said Thursday. Are you kidding me?”
But Allen had played the end of the season with a broken fifth metatarsal in his right foot. Allen said it was an older injury he re-aggravated during the Bills' Dec. 21 game against the Cleveland Browns.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen walks with crutches as new head coach Joe Brady addresses the media during a news conference on Thursday.
Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News
Bills president of football operations and general manager Brandon Beane said that Allen had a procedure for his foot Monday in Birmingham, Ala.
“Yeah, I had a little broken bone in there, so they went in and took it out and cleaned it up,” Allen said. “Obviously, not an ideal situation. Painful throughout the weeks, but, again, game day, (it's a) different story, just being able to put that to the side and just go out there and play football.”
Allen said he will be ready to go for organized team activities in April, saying the injury “shouldn’t hinder anything.”
And when those practices start, Allen will be playing under Joe Brady, who was promoted to head coach this week.
Beane formally introduced Brady on Thursday. Allen addressed the media about 20 minutes later. Allen, who sat in on the nine interviews the Bills conducted, said Brady’s authenticity stood out.
“I think the realness that he has,” Allen said. “I’ve been able to live it in the quarterback room for the last 3½, four seasons. He’s a real human that guys can get behind and understand and play for. I thought in his interview, the vision that he had for this team. ... I’m sitting in these interviews, and it’s – I’m not the one making the decision, right?
“I’m there to inquire, to learn, to bring a different perspective to the decision-makers that were in that room. And (I'm) taking the personal (relationship) out of it and taking the emotion out of it and trying to look at it from a logical lens. It was a unique perspective. It was a cool learning experience for me. I’m very fortunate to be regarded as wanted in that room, and I don’t take that lightly.”
Allen said Beane and team owner Terry Pegula came to him, asking the quarterback to be a part of the process.
But before that process began, Allen said, it was “very, very emotional” learning that Sean McDermott had been fired after nine years in charge, the final eight with Allen. The quarterback found out via a phone call from Pegula, and Allen said he called McDermott “immediately.”
“I’ve got nothing but love and respect for coach McDermott,” Allen said. “The last eight seasons, eight years of my life, he’s been through ups and downs of me as a player, as a person. He’s seen me grow up, in a sense, and to know that, again, we’ve had a lot of success here, and I’d be lying to you if I’m sitting here saying that I feel like I didn’t have a part in (McDermott's exit), because if I make one more play that game in Denver, we’re probably not having this press conference right now.
“We’re probably not making a change, and in all honesty, we’re probably getting ready to play another game. And that’s the hard part to take in from my perspective, but that’s reality.”
Allen said he is still processing how the season ended in the divisional round. The reigning MVP – who wasn't always as sharp this season, but was still the most talented player on nearly every field he stepped onto – was responsible for four of the Bills' five turnovers, with two interceptions and two fumbles. Despite rushing for 66 yards and throwing for 283 more, including three touchdowns, Allen also underthrew or overthrew a handful of open receivers. Those missed opportunities could've put the Bills over the top, even with a minus-4 turnover margin.
“I’d be lying to you if I didn’t say I’m still sick to my stomach about how the season ended,” he said. “Again, we live in reality, and it is what it is now, and we have to come to grips with that. And I feel like as days go by, I become more in touch with reality. Just trying to do whatever it takes to, one, move forward, but two, to understand how to get past what we’re trying to get past. Obviously, we want to win a Super Bowl here.”
And for what it's worth, Allen said he thinks the Bills are on the right path for that ultimate goal.
“I was able to sit in these meetings at a unique perspective. But what I saw was an owner in Mr. Pegula and a family that is doing everything that they can to help this team win a Lombardi Trophy and bring a trophy here to Western New York,” Allen said. “I see a GM that is as motivated as ever to do the same. And now I see a head coach that will relay this message to the team and to myself, to get everybody together and pulling in one singular direction.
“And I think that’s what’s needed. ... And I think that, again, whatever Joe needs from me, I’m going to do. And I think that it’s the right decision for this organization.”