Bill Belichick’s Popular Response to Patriots QB Comparing Himself to Josh Allen

The most recent quarterback for the New England Patriots sees many similarities to Josh Allen in his playing.

Bill Belichick isn’t convinced.

The ex-Patriots head coach tempered new recruit Drake Maye’s comparison to the Buffalo Bills quarterback. The Patriots selected Maye with the No. 3 overall pick, offering the North Carolina quarterback a strong opportunity to secure their starting position.

However, Belichick expressed skepticism about the idea of Maye developing into a player like Allen.

“Drake draws a lot of comparisons to Josh Allen. … We’ll have to see about that,” Belichick commented on Pat McAfee’s 5th Annual Draft Spectacular during the NFL Draft on April 25.

Bill Belichick Commends Josh Allen

Belichick mentioned that there might be some superficial similarities between Maye and Allen, particularly in terms of their physical attributes. However, the former Patriots head coach wasn’t certain if it went beyond that.

“I think there are some similarities in terms of size and athleticism, but Josh Allen is a quite exceptional player,” Belichick stated.

Allen was viewed as a raw prospect when he entered the league in 2018 and had a variable rookie season with the Bills. Despite exhibiting glimpses of excellent play, Allen also contended with inconsistency and errors. He completed only 52.8% of his passes, threw 12 interceptions with only 10 touchdowns, and ended the season with a 67.9 quarterback rating.

Belichick did acknowledge that Maye was similar to Allen in this regard, highlighting that the new Patriots quarterback possesses strong skills but needs to learn how to put it all together. He added that Maye sometimes is too quick to abandon a clean pocket, a criticism that has also been directed at Allen at times.

“A very talented kid. Good size, runs well, has a good arm,” Belichick remarked about Maye. “He just hasn’t had much playing time. He has made some significant plays. … He will require some work in reading defenses, reading coverages.”

Former Patriots Coach Praised Josh Allen Highly

Belichick has always held Allen in high regard, commending the Bills quarterback and stating that he would be a strong MVP contender in 2021.

“They’re dynamic [in the passing game] on offense,” Belichick stated, via SI.com’s Patriots Country. “Allen is the primary rusher, so that indicates the range of threats you have to defend every time he touches the ball. It could be any number of things, and he excels at all of them. Great player, certainly an MVP contender. He contributes significantly to their team in numerous ways.”

After losing his initial three matches against Belichick and the Patriots, Allen reversed the situation after Tom Brady left New England to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Starting from the 2020 season, Allen achieved a 6-2 record against Belichick’s Patriots. The Bills quarterback threw for 15 touchdowns and 4 interceptions in those eight games, earning a 95.5 quarterback rating.

In December 2023, Belichick stated that Allen’s evolution into a superstar quarterback reminded him of a legendary Patriots quarterback.

“It’s somewhat akin to Brady,” Belichick stated, via SI.com. “After reaching a certain point in 2003, Brady remained consistent for the rest of his career. His performance in 2002, 2001, and especially 2000 was not the same.”