NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman believes the pressure on Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson is continuing to grow entering the 2026 NFL season after years of playoff shortcomings and missed opportunities to finally reach the Super Bowl. He also specifically cited that the pressure on Allen may be different than what Jackson is feeling heading into the 2026 season.
Mounting Pressure on Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson
While appearing on ESPN, Aikman explained that both quarterbacks have consistently kept their teams in contention but continue falling short of finally reaching the Super Bowl. He also referenced Joe Burrow, noting that Burrow has at least managed to reach the big game during his career.
Aikman pointed specifically to the missed opportunity during the 2025 postseason when the Kansas City Chiefs appeared more vulnerable than in previous years.
“Well, when I look at Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, for that matter, now Joe Burrow, he’s another one. He’s at least gotten to the Super Bowl,” Aikman said. “But these two, to be on the teams that have been knocking on the door and yet not being able to get over the hump with Kansas City and then last year with the stumbles that the Chiefs had to not be able to take advantage of that any better than what they were able to, that was a real disappointment.”
That combination of playoff shortcomings and sky-high expectations has now placed both Allen and Jackson squarely under the microscope heading into the upcoming season. And in the NFL, patience tends to disappear faster than stadium beer prices rise after halftime.
Pressure on Allen is More Substantial Than on Others
Aikman later explained that the pressure surrounding Jackson is already significant, but he believes the pressure on Allen may be even more significant entering 2026 because of the expectations surrounding the Buffalo Bills organization.
According to Aikman, Allen’s success alongside head coach Sean McDermott has now created an environment where simply competing is no longer enough. Buffalo is expected to finally reach the Super Bowl, especially after bringing in Joe Brady to help elevate the offense further. That only makes the pressure on Allen more substantial.
“As I mentioned, for Lamar Jackson, with some of the pressure that now lands on his shoulders, more so than what you would typically have as a franchise quarterback. I think the same, even maybe more so for Josh Allen, because they had had a lot of success with Sean McDermott. Of course, Josh Allen has had a lot of success. He’s an MVP player as well. And now I do think that he probably was very involved, or at least was able to communicate his wishes.
And so they bring in Joe Brady, and now the expectations are that he’s going to be the guy to get them over the hump and get them into the Super Bowl. And so I understand, as Josh, what he might be feeling right now going into this. And that would be, you know, my advice, if I had any for him, would be to just try to not put so much on his shoulders, just be him.”
Aikman was not targeting Allen
Aikman was not taking shots at Allen as much as he was acknowledging the reality of where Buffalo now sits as a franchise. The pressure on Allen has reached a completely different level because playoff appearances and MVP awards are no longer enough to satisfy anyone around the organization. Buffalo brought in Joe Brady with the expectation that he could finally help push the Bills through the AFC wall that has repeatedly stopped them short of a Super Bowl appearance. That naturally increases the pressure on Allen, especially after Kansas City looked weaker than usual during stretches of last season and Buffalo still could not fully capitalize.
Advice from an NFL Hall of Fame QB Should Never Be Ignored
Aikman’s advice about not carrying too much on his shoulders says a lot. While the pressure on Allen is mounting, he does not need to take all of the blame for any shortcomings. When Hall of Fame quarterbacks start talking publicly about a player trying to do too much, it usually means they recognize the signs because they lived through it themselves. In Buffalo, every season that ends short of the Super Bowl now feels less like a disappointment and more like a missed opportunity. The pressure on Allen is no longer about proving he is elite. It is about proving this era of Bills football was not another championship window that slammed shut without a Super Bowl appearance.
