Josh Allen‘s name has been pulled into legacy debates throughout this postseason, but former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III believes the entire conversation has been misplaced.
As the Buffalo Bills advance in a reshaped AFC playoff picture, Griffin argued that Allen‘s standing was never truly on the line, even with several star quarterbacks watching from home.
“Josh Allen‘s legacy was never on the line during these playoffs,” Griffin wrote on social media. “Anyone who said that it was doesn’t know ball.”
The comment came at a revealing moment for both Allen and the Bills. For the first time in years, the AFC playoff path does not run through Patrick Mahomes.
Kansas City‘s long postseason run has ended, Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals are absent, and the bracket looks unfamiliar. For Buffalo, that shift has created opportunity and pressure in equal measure.
Allen entered the playoffs with an impressive résumé and a lingering caveat. He had seven career postseason wins, more than any quarterback who has yet to reach a Super Bowl, but all of them had come at home.
That context followed him into Jacksonville for a Wild Card matchup against Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars, a game that would test both Buffalo‘s resilience and Allen‘s ability to deliver away from Orchard Park.
A road hurdle finally cleared
The Bills found themselves trailing late in the fourth quarter, with their season hanging in the balance. Once again, the ball ended up in Allen‘s hands.
A 10 yard quarterback sneak on fourth and short pushed Buffalo to the doorstep, and one play later Allen powered into the end zone for the go ahead touchdown.
Jacksonville had one last chance, but Buffalo‘s defense responded. Tre’Davious White deflected a pass intended for the sideline, and rookie safety Cole Bishop secured the interception that sealed a 27-24 Bills victory.
It marked the first road playoff win of Allen‘s career and the first under head coach Sean McDermott.
Statistically, the performance was emblematic of Allen in January. He completed 28 of 35 passes for 273 yards, threw one touchdown, and rushed for two more. Khalil Shakir emerged as his most reliable target, catching all 12 passes thrown his way.
Allen briefly entered the medical tent earlier in the game, including a concussion evaluation, but returned to steady an offense that struggled to generate a consistent ground attack.
The comeback also represented a milestone for Buffalo. The Bills had never won a playoff game after trailing in the final two minutes, but this time the outcome mirrored the late game confidence they showed repeatedly during the regular season.
Opportunity, not validation
The absence of Mahomes and Burrow has inevitably reshaped the discussion around Allen, but Griffin‘s point cuts through the noise. Legacy is not decided by who else makes the playoffs. It is built over seasons, not brackets.
What this postseason offers Allen is not validation, but clarity. The Bills have reached the playoffs seven straight years, now the longest active streak in the league. They have the quarterback, the experience, and, for once, a path that does not immediately run into familiar heartbreak.
Tony Romo summed it up during the broadcast, noting that teams often feel Buffalo should win simply because Allen is under center. “It’s like Michael Jordan is on that team,” Romo said, emphasizing the weight a quarterback of Allen‘s caliber brings in tight games.
That perception explains why this run feels different. Not because Josh Allen suddenly has something to prove, but because the moment is finally his to define.
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