Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas is not surprised by the attention quarterback Josh Allen is getting this season as he makes his case for NFL MVP.
What confuses Thomas, who won the MVP award in 1991 as the second Bills player to earn the honor, is how long it took for others to notice Allen’s greatness.
“Personally, I think it should have happened a couple of years ago,” Thomas wrote in a text to The Associated Press on Monday. “To be in Year 7 and getting better is phenomenal. And I love seeing ‘First player to do this … .’ It’s crazy.”
Thomas was referring to Allen’s recent achievements, including becoming the first NFL player in the Super Bowl era to throw three touchdown passes and score three more on rushes in a 44-42 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 8.
Then, in a 48-42 win over Detroit on Sunday, Allen became the first NFL player to throw at least two touchdown passes and score two rushing touchdowns in back-to-back games. He also did this three times in one season.
Thomas had predicted in a text to The AP in September 2020 that Allen would eventually be a strong MVP candidate and would easily break former teammate and Hall of Famer Jim Kelly’s franchise records.
Allen has already broken all of Kelly’s single-season passing and scoring records and is close to surpassing Kelly’s career records. What stands out most to Thomas is how much more fun Allen seems to be having this season.
Whether it’s due to Allen’s recent engagement to actor Hailee Steinfeld, embracing his role as the team’s unquestioned leader, or simply growing older and maturing, the 28-year-old quarterback appears to be playing more freely.
Whatever the reason, Allen is leading the Bills (11-3) on a successful season where they have already clinched their fifth straight AFC East title. They also still have a chance to catch Kansas City (13-1) for the AFC’s top seed, and they’re three wins away from finishing with 14 victories.
Buffalo came through the toughest part of its schedule by beating Kansas City in their only loss of the season, routing the 49ers 35-10, and defeating the NFC-leading Lions. The only setback was the loss to the Rams, where Allen nearly brought the Bills back from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
While Buffalo’s defense may need help and some healthier players, the offense led by Allen is showing it can make up for it.
“Josh is the best player in the league, so having that is special, because I truly feel he’s unstoppable,” cornerback Taron Johnson said after a game where the Bills scored on eight of 10 drives and totaled 559 yards of offense, the fifth most in team history and the most in regulation since a 579-yard performance in the 2000 season finale.
Coach Sean McDermott is enjoying Allen’s success, especially with the quarterback throwing just five interceptions this season.
“We’re watching an incredible player play incredibly consistent week after week, and I’ll let you guys fill in the rest of the sentence,” McDermott said, referring to reporters and a sentence that could very well end with the three letters: MVP.
