The pain felt by the Buffalo Bills and their fans following the team’s 42-36 playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs has barely begun to alleviate and with the recent departures of offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and o-line coach Brandon Johnson, quarterback Josh Allen has a lot to processes this offseason.
Allen played his heart out during the Bills’ overtime loss, completing 27-of-37 passes for 329 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 68 rushing yards. Overall, during Buffalo’s two consecutive postseason games, he scored 9 touchdowns and zero interceptions, which is a first in NFL history, per The Buffalo News’ Jason Wolf.
In an exclusive interview with Heavy, one legendary athlete voiced nothing but respect for the 25-year-old quarterback, Dr. Shaquille O’Neal. Like all of Bills Mafia, Shaq still can’t get over how insanely thrilling that playoff game was on January 23.
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“That Chiefs/Bills game was something special though,” Shaq told Heavy. “Mahomes versus Allen was a battle worth the hype. Everyone knew it was going to come down to whoever had the ball last… and it did.”
The following weekend, Allen admittedly suffered from PTSD while watching the Chiefs take on the Bengals during the AFC Divisional playoff game. When Kansas City’s kicker Harrison Butker tied up the game at 24-24 as the clock expired, and the Chiefs once again won the coin toss, Allen tweeted out a rare one-word message: “Pain.”
However, the titular host of Shaq’s Fun House, one of the biggest parties in Los Angeles leading up to the Super Bowl, is hoping to make watching the big game a little less depressing for Allen.
“I just had my people email Josh Allen’s saying we need him at The Fun House,” Shaq told Heavy. “I think he is coming haha.”
For those hoping to possibly catch a glimpse of Allen or be Shaq’s assistant during the Super Bowl party, fans can apply to ZipRecruiter’s raffle contest.
HEY AYYY AYYY AY let’s go @JoshAllenQB!! Bills Mafia where are you at? @BuffaloBills quarterback, Josh Allen is heading to Pebble Beach! 🏈 Bills fans, please note tables are not permitted at this event.
Allen wouldn’t have to travel too far to make it to Los Angeles. The $258 million man is already back in California to spend the offseason near his hometown and will be remaining on the West coast at least through next week. While Allen gracefully declined to participate in the Pro Bowl, he will instead be playing in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, an event held in the Monterey area.
Does Shaq Think the Super Bowl Will Be as Exciting as the Bills/Chiefs Playoff Game?
JOSH ALLEN IS COLD-BLOODED 🥶
(via @NFL)
While the Bills’ loss to the Chiefs in the postseason will go down as one of the most heartbreaking defeats in franchise history, the game will also be remembered as possibly the most incredible playoff matchup in NFL history. And for Buffalo, those final 13 seconds in regulation will go down in infamy.
Following the Chiefs’ subsequent loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on January 30, Shaq balked at Kansas City’s head coach Andy Reid’s final motivational statement to quarterback Patrick Mahomes. “When it’s grim… be the grim reaper,” Reid said.
“That’s a terrible quote,” Shaq said. “How about hey, we’re down by one, we need a motherf****** bucket.”
“When it’s grim, be the grim. When it’s cold, take cold medicine.” 🤣
@SHAQ wasn’t impressed with Andy Reid’s motivation for @PatrickMahomes on this week’s episode of #TheBigPodcast: t.co/gQRqxEvcMe
Heavy asked Shaq if he believed the Super Bowl LVI [Bengals Vs. Rams] will be as exciting as the Bills/Chiefs playoff game. “Of course, that’s why they call it the BIG game!” the Inside the NBA host said. “I have been going to the Super Bowl for a long time and it’s always a great vibe with an electric energy.”
Shaq Revealed Which Team He Wants to See Win Super Bowl 56
Lakers Shaq was too big, too fast, too strong. Only thing the other team could hope for is he misses the game.
If Shaq had his choice, “I would have loved it if my Cowboys made the game,” while noting a Chiefs vs Rams showdown would’ve also made a great matchup. With the big game being a matchup between the Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams, Shaq didn’t hesitate in picking which team he wants to see win.
While Shaq has a connection to Bengals superstar quarterback Joe Burrow, as they both alumni athletes from LSU, the 15-time All-Star can’t root against his own city.
The former Lakers legend told Heavy, “As the self-acclaimed Emperor of LA I love to see the city of LA win.”
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Shaq Extends Super Bowl Party Invite to Bills QB Josh Allen [EXCLUSIVE]