Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is approaching this offseason in a different way than in previous years, when he often spent the break recovering from lingering injuries sustained during the season. This year, he says he’s finally feeling fully healthy.
Speaking during the team’s voluntary workouts this week, Allen shared that he’s in the best physical shape he’s been in for years, giving credit to both the team’s efforts to protect him and a more cautious offensive strategy.
Allen: “I Feel Great Physically”
On Tuesday, Allen told reporters he’s feeling better than ever after a season. “This is the best I’ve felt physically coming off a season,” he said. A key factor, Allen noted, was taking fewer hits—he was the least sacked quarterback in the NFL last year—thanks to smarter play-calling and strong performance from the offensive line.
“I didn’t really have any lingering issues. I wasn’t taking a lot of punishment,” he said. “That’s a result of the scheme we’re running and how well the O-line protected me.”
After logging more than 120 rushing attempts in both 2021 and 2022, Allen has made a conscious effort to reduce the number of designed runs. In 2024, he ran the ball 102 times for 531 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott and GM Brandon Beane have both stressed the importance of limiting Allen’s exposure to unnecessary hits, especially during scrambles.
“The only thing I ever have to say to him is that he’s got too many bruises,” Beane said. “We’ve got to make sure he’s taking fewer hits. That’s my only critique.”
Recovering and Rebuilding
In past seasons, Allen frequently played through injuries and used the offseason to recover and make adjustments. As reported last summer by Sal Maiorana of the Democrat & Chronicle, Allen worked with a California-based sports science firm to refine his throwing mechanics, which had been affected by a shoulder injury.
“It wasn’t a full rebuild of my throwing motion,” Allen explained, “but there were definitely things I had to clean up. It’s like tweaking a golf swing—you’ve got to trust it and put in the reps to see results.”
Now, with a healthy body and no need for rehab, Allen has been able to shift focus to improving his game. This offseason, he’s working on pre-snap reads, improving his footwork, and refining how he sets protections and identifies defensive schemes.
“Right now, it’s all about what I’m seeing before the snap,” he said. “Making sure I’m better with my footwork, setting protections correctly, and knowing where my answers are in the offense.”