Bills' Allen: I'll need to play safer as career progresses

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen acknowledged he needs to play safer and keep his body out of harm's way as he gets older.

"I've always had the mindset of, I've been a football player first and a quarterback second," Allen said, according to Lorenzo Reyes of USA TODAY. "At some point, that is going to have to switch. When that point is, I don't know. I guess I'll let my body tell me. It sounds crazy, but I'm getting older."

Allen had 124 rushing attempts for 762 yards last season, ranking second on the team in both categories. He has over 100 carries in each of his previous four seasons.

The 26-year-old Allen has battled injuries over the last two campaigns. In 2021, he suffered a toe injury in Week 14, which landed him in a walking boot following the game. Last season, he dealt with a UCL sprain that lingered into the playoffs.

"I do want to be the smartest quarterback with the football in my hands," Allen said. "I don't want to put the football in harm's way because I know how detrimental that is to our team with the interceptions and the fumbles."

Allen added that he's focusing on getting "a lot of rest, a lot of mental recovery" after a season that was "pretty draining, physically, emotionally, and mentally."

The two-time Pro Bowler is entering his sixth season in the NFL. He has 18,397 passing yards and 176 total touchdowns in 77 career games.