Time and again, Josh Allen has shown why he was the seventh overall pick. The Winter Soldier has led the Buffalo Bills to the playoffs every season since 2019, missing out only during his rookie year. But despite all that success, Allen holds a frustrating record: he is the only quarterback in league history with seven playoff appearances without ever reaching a Super Bowl.

Allen entered the 2025 season as the reigning MVP, looking to change that story once and for all. Instead, he met the same fate: falling short in the divisional round. In hindsight, those setbacks have left a sour taste in his mouth.

“I’ll always have a chip on my shoulder. The way that last season ended wasn’t actually happy with it,” Allen told reporters on Tuesday, September 1, following a practice session. “I haven’t been happy with any of the seasons the way they’ve ended. So, got to continue to find ways to keep getting better, keep pushing ourselves, and just keep grinding away and keep knocking at the door.”

On paper, last year’s Bills were built like a champion. They boasted the NFL’s No. 1-ranked rushing offense, churning out 2,714 total yards, a league-leading 159.6 yards per game, and an overwhelming 30 rushing touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, the defense was equally elite, finishing No.1 against the pass by surrendering a stingy 156.9 passing yards per game.

Last year’s campaign earned Allen a place in the Top 100 list for the seventh consecutive time after finishing third in the player voting a year ago after his MVP campaign. If this roster wasn’t a Super Bowl-winning blueprint, what is?

Yet, when January arrived, that elite foundation cracked in the most uncharacteristic way imaginable. Facing the Denver Broncos in the AFC Divisional Round, Buffalo collapsed in an agonizing 33-30 overtime defeat. The story of the game was a sloppy, five-turnover nightmare.

Allen, who had gone six consecutive playoff games without giving the ball away once, committed four individual turnovers, throwing two interceptions and losing two fumbles, while running back James Cook coughed up another. Compounding the pressure, Allen had been dropped for a career-worst 40 sacks throughout the regular season, and Denver’s pass rush capitalized on every break in protection.

Still, true to form, Allen nearly pulled off the impossible. Trailing in overtime, Allen unleashed a dramatic 44-yard shot downfield to wide receiver Brandin Cooks. For a brief second, Western New York held its breath as Cooks appeared to pull down a spectacular catch at the Denver 20-yard line. But as they hit the turf, Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillan wrestled the ball free.

In a devastating turn of events, official review controversially overturned the catch into a game-ending interception. Just like that, the season was over. The emotional weight of the sudden exit proved crushing, leaving a tearful Allen and his teammates visibly broken during postgame interviews.

“I feel like I let my teammates down tonight,” he said.

To make matters worse, Buffalo’s fanbase was once again left watching a championship season slip through their fingers.

“This was the Bills best chance to win a Super Bowl. That window is shut.”

“Bills are never gonna win a Super Bowl man this was their only shot.”

A couple of fans wrote….The rest? They made ‘THE’ comparison: “No Mahomes no Lamar no Burrow and Josh Allen STILL couldn’t make it to the Super Bowl 😭.”

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs remain the ultimate barrier between Josh Allen and a Super Bowl ring. While Allen holds a dominant 7-2 postseason mark against the rest of the NFL, his winless 0-4 playoff record against Kansas City tells a different story. That single matchup is the main reason he holds the NFL record for the most playoff victories (seven) without a Super Bowl appearance.

That history would break most quarterbacks, but Allen’s response to another agonizing playoff exit has been resolve rather than retreat.

“A lot of new. We’re gonna figure things out,” Allen said in June 2026. “It’s another tough task, but the goal remains the same, and that’s to bring a Lombardi Trophy to Western New York. And we’re going to do everything in our power to make that happen.”

The Bills will enter the season with several major changes to their coaching staff. First off, they fired longtime head coach Sean McDermott and promoted former offensive coordinator Joe Brady to head coach. On top of that, Buffalo hired Jim Leonhard to lead the defense as the coordinator.

They also roped in star wide receiver DJ Moore to serve as Josh Allen’s weapon while overhauling the defensive unit to tackle the run defense concerns. They signed edge rusher Bradley Chubb, safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and nose tackle Greg Gaines.

So, with such changes, will Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills be able to win their first Super Bowl?