07-24 Josh Allen
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen addresses the media after the first team practice of training camp on Wednesday, July 24, 2024 at St. John Fisher University
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00:00Chance for you to get louder at least every training camp or what?
00:03Just a little bit, just a little bit, but glad to be back here.
00:07St. John Fisher, obviously, I love camp, I think we all know that.
00:12It's my favorite time of the year.
00:14Get to hang with the boys in the dorm rooms, play card games.
00:18I won the inaugural Catan game last night against Dawson, Dalton, and Spencer.
00:22So make sure you let them know that, it was a pretty sweet win.
00:26Do you enjoy your status as a Rockstar, especially here?
00:31I mean, like I said, I've said this a multitude of times.
00:34I remember being that kid looking up to somebody in my position.
00:37So making sure that I can, whether it's a quick fist bump or a high five or
00:41sign some things, obviously, I can't sign everything for everybody.
00:44I'd be here for quite some time.
00:46I got workouts and meetings and got to eat in between there too.
00:50So I hope people can understand that.
00:52But again, I try to go around and give high fives to everybody that showed up,
00:55just to thank them for coming out and showing their support.
00:58A lot of guys involved on offense today, a lot of guys finding the end zone.
01:01Is that what you hope it looks like from the point?
01:03Absolutely, yeah.
01:05And we love touchdowns, obviously starting off with red zone day one.
01:10That's where games are won and lost in this league.
01:14The ability to score seven instead of kick for three, it's a big four point swing.
01:19And I'm not sure the actual statistics, but
01:23I think co-shared last year, the average margin of victory was right around four or
01:28five points.
01:28So one or two trips that come away with touchdowns,
01:33as opposed to field goals, greatly improve your chances of winning.
01:36Is that much like having smaller options in those situations?
01:41Well, if you saw me throwing it after with Mack Hollins,
01:44I can't throw the ball high enough.
01:45Even if I get them jumping, it's still not where they want it.
01:49I gotta keep getting it as high as possible and
01:52creating as much separation as I can against those DBs and
01:56utilize their height and their tools to go up and catch a ball.
01:59So it's something we're gonna keep working on, I'm excited.
02:02Obviously, really haven't had guys of that stature in the past,
02:08so it's gonna take some adjusting to get used to.
02:11Don't get me wrong, but excited nonetheless.
02:13Josh, what kind of balance is it, you wanna have that sense of urgency every day
02:17to stay fit and step forward, but you're also working with some of the new guys,
02:20so patience is required.
02:22Is that tough to win?
02:24I don't think so, I think we had a great OTA, we had a great summer,
02:28we got together and through.
02:29And everybody understands the standard that we have set here, and
02:32it starts from the top with Coach McDermott, making sure that we understand
02:37in OTAs and in meetings that training camp is for our team to build our identity,
02:44physically, mentally, and emotionally, and spiritually for that matter.
02:47To come out here and learn who we are, but at the same time,
02:51there's one job to get done, and that's to win a Super Bowl.
02:54And putting in the work in the spring and
02:59the summer is gonna pay dividends to right now.
03:01And we gotta keep continuing to work hard and focus on, and
03:05just trying to be the best versions of ourselves each and every day.
03:08What are the challenges of going through this roster turnover?
03:14And how much can you draw upon some of the roster turnover
03:18to see what you've had experienced in the past?
03:21I mean, I think just repetition, it's just references from games.
03:27Like, hey, remember what you did against so and so two years ago?
03:31I don't really have that now.
03:32I've got that with with Cleo and Dawson, but really nobody else.
03:36So it's learning on the fly, but making sure that we're adapting as we go.
03:40We've got a lot of smart guys, especially in that receiver room.
03:44And they're guys that wanna work hard,
03:48that are continuing to get better each and every day.
03:51And coming out, and we didn't have simplistic plays in today.
03:55I don't know if you guys noticed that, but we had a lot of shifts,
03:57a lot of motions.
03:58And I thought guys went out there and handled it very well.
04:01But even just running around last night in the dorm room was opening people's doors.
04:05People are studying, and people are having little groups together that are doing
04:09the right things.
04:10And here, every detail matters to get to where we wanna go.
04:14I asked Sean this question.
04:16It looks like it's the most diverse group of guys that you've really had.
04:21I mean, really, every guy has a different skill set.
04:24Do you see it that way or no?
04:26Absolutely, absolutely.
04:27And I think that it's a very, very competitive room right now, too.
04:33I mean, I'm not being, I can't tell you who's gonna be where and
04:38at what position on the depth chart and this and that.
04:40But I know that there's a lot of guys that probably deserve to make this team.
04:45We're only day one, but just the work that these guys have put in,
04:48it's gonna be a very competitive training camp.
04:51And it's gonna be fun to watch some of these guys playing these preseason games
04:54and continue to get better.
04:56You guys opened the playbook a little bit even on day one.
04:59How important has it been to now have a full offseason with Jordan Brady and
05:03just working in his playbook, his playing time?
05:06It's awesome.
05:07Even just little things of running the first play on seven on seven and
05:12just, you know what, that play might be too tight there.
05:16It might be where the mic is relating too much to number two and
05:19number three can't get behind him, we can't put him in a bind.
05:21So let's call that either ten yards out, but seven is probably too close for that.
05:26And it's just little things that we're gonna continue to get reps on now that
05:29we're actually doing live stuff against a dang good defense in our defense.
05:35So we're gonna keep learning as the days go by.
05:38Is there an effort today to celebrate the touchdowns, to bring juice?
05:43It just seemed like more than training camps in the past,
05:45every touchdown was celebrated like it was a game.
05:47Yeah, I think that's one of the things that Coach Brady teaches and
05:52wants us to go out there and, one, execute.
05:55But it's not easy to score touchdowns in this league, as we all know.
05:58So when we get in there, let's celebrate.
06:01It's a big moment that helps our team win football games, and
06:04we should be excited about those.
06:06And again, you practice every habit that you have, and
06:10having a habit of practicing, going out there and celebrating.
06:13And celebrating with your teammates, more importantly,
06:16not just someone going out there and doing his own thing.
06:19Like everybody, get everybody involved, which is, it helps the team camaraderie.
06:24It gets Lyman excited to go and spike the football.
06:26And everybody wants to get in the end zone.
06:29On that same note, I know you're not working with him individually, but
06:32you have a new defensive coordinator, Bobby Babbage.
06:34Obviously, a lot of energy from him as well.
06:37Does that help you guys increase the energy and the compete level,
06:39just hearing that guy on the other side of the ball, barking throughout practice,
06:43amping his guy up?
06:44Absolutely, absolutely.
06:45And me and Bobby, we've been around each other a lot, the last five, six years.
06:50And he's always had juice.
06:52And now that he has a chance to be the D coordinator and call some plays,
06:57he had a great OTAs.
06:58And obviously, being in the first day, not having a lot of complex things, but
07:02even after, coming up to me and just like, hey, what did you see?
07:04What can we do to get better?
07:05Me relaying information to him, trying to make our defense better.
07:10Everybody knows that cliche, iron sharpens iron, but it's very true.
07:14We're trying to push each other to our limits during training camp.
07:18Sometimes the pot's gonna boil over and
07:20we're gonna have some disagreements on the football field, as teams do.
07:25But as families do as well, we're gonna get past those and
07:28continue to work better and again, try to make each other the best that we can be.
07:31I can't remember so many people, players catching touchdown passes in red zone
07:35work in day number one, it seemed like everybody got involved in the end.
07:38How important is it, A, to start off with a red zone efficiency like that on day one?
07:42And B, just the different kinds of people that you have options to here?
07:45Yeah, it's obviously fun to go out there and I think these receivers know too,
07:50and these tight ends, at any given moment, the ball could be coming to me.
07:53So might as well run my route full speed.
07:56And that's what you saw today.
07:58But yeah, no turnovers on the day for any of the quarterbacks,
08:02which that's something that we're gonna continue to keep preaching,
08:04the ball, the ball, the ball.
08:05And turnover differential in the league is a big statistic in deciding who wins
08:12football games, so the better that we can be with that,
08:14the better that this team's gonna be.
08:16Josh, you got together with the offense during the offseason.
08:19Just kind of talk about that bonding experience and how did it translate today?
08:23Yeah, it's not as much for the throwing as it is for the getting together and
08:28going out to dinner and learning people on a personal level.
08:33Don't get me wrong, we were out there working for two hours in the Nashville
08:36heat, 90 plus degrees and 100% humidity, so the boys were getting after it.
08:41But more so just leaning into each other and sitting by different people at dinner
08:46and talking and discussing family and life off the field.
08:51And the more that you can trust somebody off the field,
08:54the more you can trust them on the field.
08:55What did you learn about KK that you can apply to this year,
08:59maybe more than two touchdowns?
09:01Yeah, obviously got him involved more as the season went on.
09:06Dawson going down in the mid part of the season for a few weeks,
09:10put him into a role as a rookie that's not easy to do.
09:13So he's learning a lot, he's very fluid, he's very smart, he's very savvy.
09:19So he's gonna be a very, very good player for us and
09:22he's gonna help us win some football games.
09:23But so are a lot of these guys on this team right now.
09:26I know he was as funny as he is.
09:28No, no, I didn't.
09:29He's opened up quite a bit.
09:30We went on a few golf trips during the off season and
09:33got to spend some good time with him.
09:35He's one of the good ones.
09:37Funny guys, how much difference does he make when he's on the field as
09:43opposed to last year when you're looking at defense?
09:45Yeah, he sees things well.
09:48He's only gonna continue to get better as he gets more reps.
09:51Obviously, really a full year without playing and
09:55the rehab process that he had to go through to get back on this football field.
09:58I've got so much love and respect for
10:00him for doing the things that he had to do to get back to here.
10:03Cuz it's not easy to come back from an injury like his.
10:06And just happy to have him back on the field in the locker room and
10:10out there talking with TB and trying to make each other better there.
10:13When you practice against him,
10:14is that one of the type of players you have to kind of find out who he is?
10:17Absolutely, he's a ball hawk.
10:20He just always finds his way towards it somehow.
10:23And you've seen that in his play.
10:25And again, as he gets ramped up, continuing to get going in this camp,
10:29I gotta keep it away from him.
10:31What do you like about Keon Coleman today?
10:33Honestly, big body.
10:34He moved well in some of the scramble drill stuff that we did.
10:38The refs called him out on one of the touchdown catches, but I was right there.
10:43We'll see it on tape.
10:44I'm pretty sure he was in.
10:45I'd be surprised if he wasn't.
10:46But a guy that, again, he's learning.
10:50I think today was some lightning stuff, quick stuff going at him.
10:54And he took it in stride and understood the assignment that he had and
10:59had throughout practice.
11:01So again, just day by day, we're trying to stack good days here.
11:05You worked out with Tiger Woods a little bit there.
11:08How was that experience?
11:09And is you inviting Tiger to camp?
11:13One of the coolest moments of my life, golfing with him.
11:16Honestly, such a big fan of him growing up.
11:18Me and my brother.
11:18My brother got to caddy for me too.
11:20So we get to spend some good time with him, asking some good questions.
11:24Didn't invite him to camp, but if he wants to come, he can come.
11:28We got Oak Hill right in the backyard.
11:30He can come play, so we'll see.
11:33Anybody bring a new college football game to camp?
11:36Yeah, there'll be some games throughout camp.
11:39Talks of an online dynasty right now, trying to get things going.
11:42Have you played?
11:44I've played a little bit.
11:45You've played Wyoming?
11:47Yeah.
11:47Every time?
11:48Yeah.
11:49Yeah, we get a little cheat code.
11:50I'm not gonna say it, but we got some quick receivers and
11:53some quick running backs right now, and
11:55a quarterback that can throw the ball over the mountains, so.
11:58Getting to know the wide receivers on another level.
12:01What have you learned about the uniqueness of Matt Hollins and
12:04some of his habits?
12:07I love Mac.
12:10He's one of the all-time greats.
12:12I've only been around him for a few months now, but the energy and
12:15the juice that he has is infectious towards his teammates.
12:19Constantly in a good mood, constantly trying to get better.
12:23He's a very, like you said, unique guy, but is so authentic to him.
12:29And it's a breath of fresh air.
12:30He's not trying to be anybody else but Mac Hollins, and
12:33guys respect him for that.
12:35And I know I sure as hell do, so
12:38it's good to have a guy like that on your team.
12:39You go barefoot?
12:41I've gone barefoot a little bit.
12:42I go barefoot in the weight room.
12:43I gotta get them grippers out.
12:45When you talk about camping and hanging out in the dorms,
12:49getting to know each other, how much more important is that this off-season,
12:52when you have such a new roster with a lot of turnover and things like that?
12:55Yeah, I think it's just as important as any other year.
13:00And even though we've only had some of these guys for a few months,
13:03I feel like I've known them for a long time.
13:05That's how close and quickly we've bonded.
13:07And again, we're gonna continue to get better each and every day.
13:10We just gotta keep having days like today where we're putting the ball where it
13:14needs to be, guys are catching it.
13:16And if we don't, we learn from it and move on to the next day.
13:19Thank you guys.