Josh Allen knew the pain coach Brian Daboll was going through from his own experience of going through a similar loss. Champion Bills quarterback Joe Burrow or any other player is not relevant here; rather, it is the fact that the former Bills quarterback cried in the arms of his coach after losing his own grandmother. Almost a year later, Daboll faced the same grief: he lost the woman who raised him, and Allen did not let the difficult week pass without recognizing how significant this coach was to him. [1]
After the Bills' victory over Washington, the quarterback dedicated his performance to Daboll. It was an emotional role reversal between the two men. In November 2020, Daboll comforted Allen. On September 26, 2021, Allen returned the support with a tribute full of sensitivity, demonstrating how close their relationship had become. [1]
How Brian Daboll comforted Josh Allen after the death of his grandmother [1]
Allen's loss occurred on November 7, 2020, when his grandmother, Patricia Allen, died suddenly at the age of 80. The news came one evening before the Bills' game against the Seahawks in Seattle. Although devastated, Allen decided to play. [1]
He later explained that one thought kept him going: his grandmother would have wanted him to be on the field, enjoying the game he loved. 'All I kept repeating was that she would want me to play,' Allen told reporters on November 11, 2020, discussing his grandmother's death and the game against the Seahawks. [1]
The quarterback honored that thought with a remarkable performance. Buffalo beat Seattle 44-34 on November 8, with Allen completing 31 of 38 passes for 415 yards and four total touchdowns. [1]
But once the game ended, emotions caught up with him. Allen entered the locker room and began to cry. Daboll, who was then the Bills' offensive coordinator, was there to hold him. [1]
The coach recounted the moment to reporters on November 9, 2020. 'When he came off the field and into the locker room, he fell into my arms a little,' Daboll said. The coach also spoke about how difficult it was for him to watch someone dear to him go through such a painful loss. For Allen, the embrace came at a time when he needed it most. [1]
How Josh Allen returned the favor to Daboll after he lost the woman who raised him [1]
Less than a year later, Daboll faced a similar loss. His grandmother, the woman who raised him, died a few days before the September 26, 2021 game against Washington. Allen knew his coach was going through tough times. He also remembered how Daboll joined him after Patricia's death. This time, the quarterback wanted to give something back. [1]
The Bills responded with a 43-21 victory over Washington. Allen threw for 358 yards and four touchdowns, but his post-game words carried a much more personal message. During the post-game press conference on September 26, 2021, Allen spoke about Daboll's loss. [1]
'His grandmother passed away this week, the woman who raised him,' Allen said. He then recalled the moment from the previous season when Daboll hugged him in the locker room. 'It's really curious how roles have reversed. You know, last year I came into the locker room and had a heartfelt hug with him, and this year, he falls into my arms. He's a guy I love very much,' the quarterback said. [1]
The quarterback also explained that players understood what Daboll and his family were going through. They wanted to execute well and provide their coach with a performance he could appreciate during such a difficult week. [1]
Allen was not alone in paying tribute. Offensive lineman Dion Dawkins also dedicated the victory to Daboll, and head coach Sean McDermott praised the unity within the team. For Allen, the victory meant more than adding another win to the Bills' record. Daboll had held him during one of the lowest moments of his life. When the coach experienced his own heartache, Allen made sure he was there for him. [1]
Almost a year apart, those two locker room moments demonstrated how much their bond meant to both men. [1]
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