Exclusive: Josh Allen Backs Keon Coleman to Become One of NFL’s Best as Bills Target Super Bowl Breakthrough

Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills face a pivotal year entering the 2025 season.

The NFL's reigning MVP and the Bills are looking to break through after years of coming up just short of the Super Bowl. Allen has led the Bills to six consecutive playoff appearances, including two conference championship game appearances. 

Time to Beat the Chiefs 

However, they've failed to reach the Super Bowl a single time as they've lost to the Kansas City Chiefs all four times they've matched up against them in the playoffs. That includes a 32-29 loss to the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game last season, the third consecutive time they've lost to Kansas City by one possession in the postseason.

If the Bills are to take that leap, they're going to have to beat the Chiefs in order to do so. 

Kansas City has represented the AFC in the Super Bowl in five of the past six years and they've always advanced to at least the conference championship game in the Patrick Mahomes era.

Keon Coleman Set to Explode

One of the keys for the Bills is none other than their second-year wide receiver Keon Coleman. 

Coleman was the team's 33rd overall pick in last year's draft and had a promising rookie season, posting 29 receptions for 556 receiving yards (19.2 yards per reception) and four touchdowns.

Allen speaks positively about his 23-year-old receiver, saying how he wants to continue to grow his chemistry with one of his top two wideouts.

"He's still so young, still a lot to learn, but making sure that we're communicating in the right way and hanging out and doing everything off the field that we need to do to have that relationship on the football field," says Allen in a one-on-one interview. 

"I feel like he's had the right mindset. He's a very, very, extremely talented player, one of the most talented I've ever played with. His body control is out of this world. We just got to get on the same page. I'm excited to do that for camp," Allen told SportsBoom.com. 

Coleman ranked second on the team across all major receiving categories, only behind Khalil Shakir, who produced 76 catches for 821 receiving yards as the Bills' go-to receiver. 

One of the flaws of the Bills during the Allen era as that they often become too reliant on the 29-year-old quarterback. He's arguably the best dual-threat quarterback in the league, posting 28 passing touchdowns (12 rushing) against just six interceptions while winning his first MVP award last season. He did all of that despite not playing with a single All-Pro or Pro Bowl player at wide receiver and tight end.

The hope is that Coleman can emerge as that type of player. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound wide receiver was a First-team All-ACC selection during his lone season with the Florida State Seminoles in 2023, posting 50 catches for 658 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns.

Size Matters

When asked what he believes is Coleman's best trait, Allen says it's his "size" that stands out. 

The NFL MVP goes so far as to say that Coleman can be "one of the best receivers" in the league if he continues to develop.

"I think it's his size, it's his ability to make some of these unbelievable back shoulder catches," says Allen. 

"I think if we can utilize him in the right way and he can go be out there and be a big guy - and not push off - but use his body to his advantage and not let DB's run through him on some of his routes, he's going to be one of the best receivers in the league. I truly believe that."