Josh Allen won't play in preseason, for first time in his career

The reigning NFL MVP will officially be DNP for the preseason.

Bills coach Sean McDermott told reporters on Thursday that quarterback Josh Allen won't play in the preseason finale, against the Buccaneers.

It will be, as noted by Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, the first time Allen hasn't played in the preseason.

Allen enters his eighth NFL season. He knows the drill. He knows the team. This isn't the same as, say, Aaron Rodgers showing up for his first season in Pittsburgh, with no meaningful offseason work and no preseason snaps.

It all means that we'll see Allen in uniform the first time in 2025 on Sunday Night Football, in a rematch of a divisional round playoff game against the Ravens and MVP runner-up Lamar Jackson.

And it's only 17 days away.