For Joe Brady, his first appearance at the NFL Combine podium was supposed to mark the beginning of a new era in Buffalo. But when he stepped onto the podium, the first topic thrown his way was Josh Allen’s foot, and understandably so. The head coach didn’t deny the question that’s followed Buffalo since the season ended, but addressed it head-on.

“Josh, he just played three games, or however many games that was,” Brady said. “When a guy gets surgery, yet he was able to, when you guys see him in the games, and not blink. There’s one guy you never worry about is Josh Allen.”

The quarterback endured a punishing 2025 campaign. He absorbed a career-high 40 sacks, but not every hit stemmed from breakdowns up front. At times, Allen’s instinct to extend plays outside the pocket placed him directly in harm’s way, a trait that fuels Buffalo’s offense but also invites constant contact. Despite that pressure, Bills opponents generated a quarterback pressure rate of just 29.6% while Allen was on the field, the lowest mark of his career, according to Next Gen Stats, showing how often he still kept plays alive even under duress.
Meanwhile, the foot issue became impossible to overlook.

Allen suffered the injury during the regular season, and it lingered long enough to require surgery on a right foot fracture. He even appeared on crutches at Brady’s introductory press conference on Jan. 29. Shortly after, Allen addressed it himself.

“It’s a little painful right now, but it wasn’t a crazy surgery,” Allen said in January. “Yeah, so I’m not too long. OTAs, I’ll be back, and it shouldn’t hinder anything.”

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Now, Brady begins his first season leading the Buffalo Bills with a clear mission, push this roster past its recent ceilings and into true Super Bowl contention. That climb won’t rest on Allen alone. Buffalo enters the offseason with multiple roster gaps, particularly along the offensive line, at wide receiver, and across the defensive front, areas expected to be addressed heavily through the draft.

And the combine in Indianapolis serves as the starting point. Coaches and front office members spend days evaluating prospects before draft day arrives in Pittsburgh on Apr. 23. Workouts begin Thursday and wrap up Sunday, and every detail matters as the Bills shape what comes next.

Joe Brady is eager to work with Josh Allen

Back in early February, when Joe Brady joined The Jim Rome Show, he did not hold back about how he feels regarding Josh Allen.

“That guy right there, he means the world to me,” Brady said. “I said in the press, and I mean it with everything I got, I want him to get everything I believe he deserves. And all the lack of sleep, whatever it takes—I mean, he has the weight of the world on his shoulders, right? And anything I can do to help that. It’s a special relationship. I understand how important he is; he means to me. And I know he makes a lot of my play calls work, right? And so my bad ones, and, man, he’s special. That’s the reason he’s the MVP, and I love that man.”

Clearly, Brady understands what Allen means to Bills Mafia and to the city of Buffalo. Brady also praised Allen’s drive in a way that should excite Highmark Stadium.

“Yeah, he’s the most competitive person I’ve ever been around, right? And so, you know, we never speak of the mindset of, ‘Hey, we just want to go to a Super Bowl’… And as long as you have him in every game we have, we got a chance.”

That mindset said it all. This wasn’t about just getting to the big stage; it was about finishing the job. In 2025, Allen backed it up every Sunday. Over 17 games, he stayed calm, sharp, and played some of the cleanest football of his career: a 102.2 passer rating, nearly 3,700 yards, 25 touchdowns, and just 10 picks.

Then he added the damage with his legs: 579 rushing yards and 14 rushing scores. In total, he accounted for 39 touchdowns, with Buffalo’s offense moving to his rhythm, driven by a quarterback fully in control.

Now, Bills Mafia waits to see how that partnership grows under Brady’s leadership.