The Kansas City Chiefs once again stood on the Buffalo Bills’ way in the 2025 NFL playoffs, leaving Josh Allen and Sean McDermott empty-handed for another year.

© David Eulitt/Getty ImagesJosh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills arrives prior to the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 26, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri.

The 2024 NFL season proved bittersweet for the Buffalo Bills, with Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs handing Josh Allen and company yet another playoff loss. Sean McDermott, however, is proud with the way his quarterback played last year.

Speaking to the media at the NFL Combine on Tuesday, the Bills head coach showed nothing but praise for Allen regardless of the playoff elimination at the hands of the Chiefs, defending the MVP result.

“It validates everything that he’s been doing for years,” McDermott said of Allen’s MVP award, via NFL.com. “It validates his leadership this year, the way he’s played on the field this season, the way he’s matured off the field, on the field. His decision making and how that’s improved.

“All these areas that were perceived — call it, gaps — Josh has answered those gaps and he’s closed those gaps. When you do that at the level that he did it at on a consistent basis, the result was the MVP. So, to me, as I said during the year, later in the year in particular, he deserved that.”

Allen was named NFL MVP for the first time in his career after an impressive 2024 season. Many believed Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson deserved the prize, but for McDermott, his quarterback won fairly.

Josh Allen credits McDermott, Bills teammates for MVP award

During his acceptance speech at the NFL Honors earlier in February, Allen made sure to credit everyone on the Bills, including McDermott, for helping him make a case for the award.

“Terry and Kim Pegula, Brandon Beane, Sean McDermott, thank you guys for drafting me seven and a half years ago,” Allen said. “It feels just like yesterday, it really does. I know this is an individual award and it says Most Valuable Player on it, but I think it’s derived from team success, and I love my team…we got such a great locker room in Buffalo, and it takes everybody.”

Allen vows to help Bills get over the hump

Allen recorded an impressive 307 completions for 3,731 passing yards and 28 passing touchdowns with a career-low six interceptions in the 2024 NFL season. Still, the quarterback admitted that his individual recognition isn’t enough to heal the wound from another playoff loss to Kansas City.

“I think it means a lot to the city,” said Allen, before vowing to continue fighting for a Super Bowl win. “This is something that they were probably rooting for…I know that anytime we step onto that field in our stadium, they’re all chanting MVP. It’s such a surreal feeling to know that they care so much and care so much about this. I wish we weren’t hosting this trophy. I wish we were hoisting the Lombardi. We’re gonna keep working until we do.”

While Allen boasts a 4-1 record against the Chiefs in regular season matchups, Mahomes and company beat the Bills all four times they met in the playoffs. Next year, Allen hopes his performance doesn’t just prove enough for individual recognition, but also for team success.