Josh Allen enters the 2026 NFL season with the expectations that come with being one of football’s brightest talents. Buffalo Bills signal caller is again anticipated to lead his team on a lengthy playoff run after winning a league MVP award and becoming one of the top NFL quarterbacks. But the conversation has changed, even if Allen is being praised.Former NFL MVP Cam Newton has questioned whether the Bills quarterback is held to the same standard as other elite passers, while a new preseason ranking suggests Allen still has one major hurdle left before joining the game’s greatest champions.
Cam Newton believes Josh Allen avoids the criticism other elite quarterbacks receive
Allen recently earned the top spot in an NFL quarterback poll voted on by league executives, coaches, and scouts. While Newton acknowledged Allen’s talent, he argued that the Bills star has not faced enough criticism for Buffalo’s latest postseason exit.Speaking on his 4th&1 podcast, Newton said, “As if to say Josh Allen ain’t the reason why his team lost the last game against Denver. If you’re talking about the top of the list, you’re supposed to be the reason why we win, not why we lose. But this is the thing about old Josh Allen. I love Josh. He’s probably my favorite player to watch, but he don’t get the blame like everybody else can. Because you would have thought Josh Allen had Patrick Mahomes resume. Stop me when I start telling the truth. How do you win an MVP and you’re not First-team All-Pro? Somebody has to say this.”Newton’s comments point back to Buffalo’s divisional round loss to the Denver Broncos. Allen finished the game with 282 passing yards and three touchdown passes, but four turnovers proved costly. He threw two interceptions, lost two fumbles, and his overtime interception set up Denver’s game-winning field goal in a 33-30 defeat.Following the loss, Allen accepted responsibility, saying he felt he had let his teammates down. Newton, however, believes the public conversation quickly moved on instead of placing the same level of blame that other franchise quarterbacks usually receive after playoff defeats.
New quarterback rankings suggest Josh Allen must finally deliver a Super Bowl title
While Newton questioned Allen’s standing, Sports Illustrated’s preseason quarterback rankings still placed him second in the NFL behind Patrick Mahomes. The ranking praised Allen’s production but argued that championships now define the next stage of his career.Allen is entering his ninth NFL season and is at the point where great quarterbacks are judged by postseason achievement rather than regular season awards as per the report. Buffalo still has yet to win its first Super Bowl and the pressure keeps ramping up. But Allen has already shown himself as one of the league’s most gifted quarterbacks with his leadership, production and MVP campaign.However, as the 2026 season begins, both Newton’s criticism and the latest quarterback rankings deliver the same message. Individual honors have secured Allen’s place among the NFL’s elite, but winning a Super Bowl remains the achievement that will ultimately define his legacy.
