Getty Tom Brady and Josh Allen embrace after a 2018 game.
Tom Brady is the benchmark of longevity in NFL history, and has some stern advice for Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen on how to lengthen his own career
The longtime New England Patriots quarterback appeared alongside Allen on the “Let’s Go” podcast this week, talking about his career and giving Allen a warning about how his style of play could hurt his long-term prospects in the NFL.
Should Josh Allen run less?
@TomBrady and @JoshAllenQB debate it on this week’s all-new Let’s Go! on the @SIRIUSXM App
Brady noted that Allen, who has a tendency to run the football and often invites contact with defenders, will need to tone it down and cut down on the number of hits he takes.
Josh Allen ‘In Harm’s Way’
Brady said that Allen’s success in running the football could ultimately hurt him, leading the Bills quarterback to scramble too often and take unnecessary hits from the defense.
“Because he makes a lot of plays running ball, I think sometimes he gets used to and he wants to run it because he knows he can gain yards. There’s a lot of confidence in it,” Brady said. “But the only problem is, from my standpoint, you’re putting yourself in harm’s way. And when you put yourself in harm’s way, it doesn’t take much for someone to land on you to set you back.”
Brady clarified that he doesn’t have a problem with Allen running so much as the way the Bills quarterback fights for extra yardage and takes hits that he doesn’t need to take.
“Not that he shouldn’t run, but when he does run, f****** slide and make sure no one hits you because I don’t ever want to see him get hurt and I want to see him out there playing out there because he’s such a f****** stud,” Brady added.
Allen admitted that it can be hard for him to suppress the instinct to take off running.
“That’s where the flip for me is so hard to turn off because I just care so much about winning football games and sometimes it does cause the risk to be a little bit higher than maybe even the reward,” Allen said.
Bills Cut Down on Josh Allen’s Runs
Brady’s warning to Allen was in line with what both head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane said last offseason. Beane said he was worried about the number of hits Allen was taking, saying it could ultimately shorten his career.
“The only thing I’d get on to him is he’s got too many bruises on him,” Beane said, via the Democrat & Chronicle. “And we’ve got to work on taking less hits. That’s the only reason I’m going to ever criticize Josh is just take less hits.”
The Bills made some key additions to their running game in the offseason, signing veterans Damien Harris and Latavius Murray, and have lessened the load on Allen in the running game. The team cut back significantly on the number of designed runs for Allen, and the Bills quarterback is on pace for career lows in rushing attempts and yards.