Bills' Joe Brady, Josh Allen Not Mentioned Among Top NFL Coach-QB Tandems

A recent league-wide ranking posted by CBS Sports didn't even mention Buffalo's first-year duo in the top-10 of a list that mentioned the supposed best head coach-quarterback combinations currently in the NFL.

Jan. 19, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills' quarterback Josh Allen (17) speaks with Bills' offensive coordinator Joe Brady before a game against the Baltimore Ravens in the 2025 AFC divisional round at the old Highmark Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Buffalo Bills’ franchise quarterback Josh Allen has accomplished many incredible feats through his first eight seasons in the National Football League, and it’s been quite the spectacle to witness from Western New York.

Once thought to be a surefire future all-time bust in the professional ranks by some outside pundits when coming out of the unheralded University of Wyoming in April 2018, Allen has done nothing but reach superstardom status while silencing nearly every single doubter en route to throwing for 30,102 total yards, 220 passing touchdowns, and just 94 interceptions in 128 career regular-season games, which is good for an impressive touchdown percentage-to-interception percentage ratio of 5.4% to 2.3% on his 4,088 career passing attempts according to Pro Football Reference.

For most part, perception around NFL has changed on Bills’ QB

April 26, 2018; Arlington, TX, USA; Former University of Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen (left) is selected as the No. 7 overall pick to the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports

And, his football fame has seemingly somehow reached an even higher level ever since he was awarded the NFL MVP following his 2024 campaign, a season in which the Bills—unfortunately—once again fell short to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game by a score of 32-29 in January of that season.

It was a game where Allen, like he always does, left it all out on the field as he amassed 276 total yards of offense (237 passing, 39 rushing) and two passing touchdowns in the devastating loss.

Similarly, although Allen wasn’t quite as sharp, Buffalo and its beloved quarterback faltered once more last season in January without reaching the ever elusive final NFL game: the Super Bowl.

Jan. 17, 2026; Denver, CO, USA; Buffalo Bills' quarterback Josh Allen (17) throws a touchdown pass during the third quarter of last season's AFC divisional round playoff game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

And, with that in mind, the Bills are hoping that making the switch from the team’s previous longtime head coach, Sean McDermott, to the franchise’s former offensive coordinator, Joe Brady, as the head man in charge will be the difference come playoff time.

However, despite all of the success that Brady and Allen have had together statistically as an OC-QB duo since the former LSU passing game coordinator took over for Buffalo’s former offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey midway through the 2023 season, there’s at least one specific national outlet that isn’t buying what the Bills have sold to fans and the media this offseason after making the switch from McDermott to Brady.

National writer wrongfully pegs WNY’s duo outside Top 10 for best NFL tandems

July 29, 2026; Pittsford, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills' first-year head coach Joe Brady (right) shares a laugh with quarterback Josh Allen (17) and former Bills' wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. (1) during training camp at St. John Fisher University. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In a recent league-wide ranking put out by CBS Sports’ staff writer Garrett Podell, Allen and Brady weren’t even mentioned in the top-10 of a list that supposedly supplied readers with the 10 best QB-HC duos that are currently in the league.

Here’s the full list:

1. QB Matthew Stafford/HC Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams

2. QB Patrick Mahomes/HC Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs

Former Buffalo Bills' defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (97) pressures Kansas City Chiefs' quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15), who was trying to get a pass off before Phillips reached him during first-half action against the Chiefs at the old Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on Nov. 2, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

3. QB Sam Darnold/Mike Macdonald, Seattle Seahawks

4. QB Drake Maye/HC Mike Vrabel, New England Patriots

Oct. 5, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New England Patriots' quarterback Drake Maye (10) calls out signals prior to the snap against the Buffalo Bills during the first half of a past NFL regular-season game at the old Highmark Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

5. QB Jordan Love/HC Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers

6. QB Brock Purdy/HC Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers

Dec. 1, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; San Francisco 49ers' quarterback Brock Purdy (13) runs with the ball while being chased by Buffalo Bills' EDGE rusher Greg Rousseau (50) | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

7. QB Caleb Williams/HC Ben Johnson, Chicago Bears

8. QB Jalen Hurts/HC Nick Sirianni, Philadelphia Eagles

Dec. 28, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Philadelphia Eagles' franchise quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) scrambles against the Buffalo Bills while being chased by former Bills' defensive end Joey Bosa (97) and current Bills' EDGE rusher Greg Rousseau (50) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

9. QB Justin Herbert/HC Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles Chargers

10. QB Trevor Lawrence/HC Liam Coen, Jacksonville Jaguars

CBS’ list makes little sense given that some undeserving names are mistakenly mentioned

Aug. 15, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills' quarterback Josh Allen (17) stands in the pocket in the first quarter of a preseason game against the Carolina Panthers at the team's new Highmark Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After taking a peek at the full rundown, it makes almost little to no sense, and the CBS writer appears to be stuck in the mindset of making a ranking due to trendiness instead of substance.

While putting the Los Angeles Rams’ duo of Matthew Stafford/Sean McVay and the Kansas City Chiefs’ tandem of Patrick Mahomes/Andy Reid at the top is practical, the list starts losing its luster when slotting in Sam Darnold and Mike Macdonald at number three, as well as Drake Maye and Mike Vrabel at the fourth spot.

And, let’s not even touch putting Green Bay’s Jordan Love and Matt LaFleur—a combination that has suffered back-to-back losses in the wild-card round in 2024 and 2025—in the top-five. 

With that said, it definitely seems as if Bills’ first-year head coach Joe Brady is receiving very little credibility heading into Year One as the NFL’s youngest lead man on the cusp of turning 37 years old, at least from CBS, and the fact that Allen isn’t mentioned in the list for his mere greatness alone is quite flabbergasting.

Bills can set record straight through tough stretch of 2026 season

Buffalo Bills' rookie head coach Joe Brady (left) and quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree (center) talk with Bills' quarterback Josh Allen during the opening day of Buffalo's training camp at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford, New York, on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The 6-foot-5, 237-pound Firebaugh, California, native was recently pegged as the No. 2 player in the NFL’s Top-100 list, which is voted on by players within the league, so it’s clear that they believe Allen is a notch above the rest, even 38-year-old Matthew Stafford, who came in at No. 4 after winning MVP for the first time in his 17-year career thus far.

Luckily, for Allen and Brady, though, the seemingly dismissed duo has a chance to prove the doubters wrong this season, particularly this specific CBS writer.

Buffalo will face the Chargers (Herbert/Harbaugh) in Week 3, the Patriots in Week 4 and Week 13, the Rams in Week 5, the Chiefs in Week 12, the Packers in Week 14, and the Bears in Week 15.

It’ll be interesting to see how things shake out.

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