Bills Plummet in Coach-QB Rankings Despite Josh Allen’s Elite Status

Josh Allen is entering his ninth season in the NFL and the Buffalo Bills star quarterback remains one of the top players in the entire league. His presence makes Buffalo a legitimate contender every year, but he’s facing a major change for the first time.

Allen has only had one head coach in the NFL, Sean McDermott, who was fired this offseason. Former offensive coordinator Joe Brady was promoted to take his place, and enters his first season as an NFL head coach.

That creates an interesting dynamic, which is highlighted in a recent head coach and quarterback ranking from SI.com’s Matt Verderame. Buffalo lands 14th overall, with Allen being named the No. 2 overall quarterback and Brady the 29th overall head coach.

Josh Allen held back in rankings by a rookie head coach

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen drops to throw during the fourth quarter of an AFC Divisional Round playoff game. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

That spread between Allen and Brady led to a significant drop with the Bills' Coach-QB duo going from fifth overall in 2025 with Allen and McDermott, to 14th with Brady taking over as head coach.

"No team has a bigger spread between the coach and quarterback. Allen is a phenomenal talent who has an MVP and two second-team All-Pro honors to his credit. He’s arguably the best player in the NFL, accounting for 39 touchdowns last season. If he can finally reach and win a Super Bowl, he’ll truly join the conversation of all-time greats," Verderame wrote.

“That said, Brady has plenty to prove. Many Bills fans screamed for his dismissal last year, when, as offensive coordinator, he often called for safe throws instead of more aggressive shots. The result was Allen ranking 25th in intended air yards per attempt (7.3), tying him with Bo Nix, Joe Flacco and Mac Jones. Taking over a team with championship dreams, Brady has plenty to prove."

As Verderame points out, Allen is a stud and can be placed among the best to ever play the game if the Bills win a title. That said, he could face plenty of scrutiny as well should his career end without a championship

Joe Brady will have little room for error

Buffalo Bills coach Joe Brady speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Verderame also accurately points out that Brady takes control of a team with championship hopes, but has a lot to prove. Unlike most first-time head coaches, Brady won’t be given much of a grace period.

Brady is going to be expected to win now, or the calls for his dismissal, which were heard during his time as the offensive coordinator, will begin to surface.

On the flip side, he finds himself with a far better quarterback and overall roster than most rookie head coaches ever receive. Now, he just has to prove the front office made the right call.

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