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As he’s done so many times, Buffalo Bills MVP quarterback Josh Allen scrambled outside the pocket on a snowy Highmark Stadium turf, surveying the field through flurries while defenders were crashing down on him.
It was a 14-3 game in favor of Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals, a game in which the Bills needed to win to keep their AFC East division hopes alive, while maintaining a strong playoff case. So, as Allen does, he finds a way to get the job done despite the circumstances.
Somehow, some way, he noticed his trusty receiver, Khalil Shakir, dashing around the end zone on fourth-and-4 from the Cincinnati 11-yard line. But anyone in Western New York, and watching at home, wouldn’t have batted an eye if Allen didn’t throw a pass to the No. 10 jersey he saw streaking through Bengals secondary personnel – why risk a turnover?
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Not Allen, though. With a rifle for an arm and confidence that always seemed to be bigger than the moment itself, he threw a seed to Shakir, hitting him between the numbers for a much-needed Bills touchdown in the second quarter.
Surprised? Shakir isn’t at this point of his career.
“I think he’s done it so much that I am just used to it,” Shakir smiled as he told Fox News Digital about his fourth touchdown of the season, while also highlighting his partnership with Kelley Blue Book.
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Whether it’s his arm, legs, or preferably both, it seems Allen is making these highlight-reel plays each week for the Bills. After all, winning MVP means going above and beyond, and Allen has been the epitome of that for this franchise since he was taken in the first round in 2018.
Shakir couldn’t be more confident saying his quarterback is the best player in the NFL, but Allen will even tell you winning MVP, and a hopeful Super Bowl for his Bills, requires everyone to do their part.
Shakir, who signed a four-year extension with the Bills in February, understands his role. Always expect the ball, even if you have multiple defenders around in snowy conditions while you’re slipping and sliding on the turf.
“In those scramble-play moments, being a skill player on the field just to make yourself available for him as much as you can,” Shakir explained. “He’s the best player in the entire league and has the ability to make these insane plays literally whenever he wants to. Knowing that he trusts us to make those catches, I think gives him comfort in making that type of throw.”
Shakir was a fifth-round pick by the Bills out of Boise State in 2022, and last year saw his best production with 821 yards on 76 receptions (100 targets). He proved to be a reliable target for Allen, building that trust factor after tallying 611 yards on 39 grabs in 2023.
Trust is the only way plays like that on Sunday against the Bengals can work, and it’s something Shakir takes pride in.
“I had a shallow route and then tried to run to the sideline and it got blocked off, so I just started running up the field. Then, I’m looking around and there’s all these white jerseys around me and I turn and the ball’s right there,” he said about the touchdown.
“The fact that Josh has the ability to put the ball wherever he wants to because he is that good, it’s insane. So, like I’ve said 1,000 times, it’s an honor to share the field with him. He’s amazing.”
Allen will be leaning on Shakir and other pass catchers to get the job done these remaining four games to secure another chance at the franchise’s first Super Bowl.
“Being on the field with him, it’s important that we get to where we need to be, the spots we need to be on certain plays because we know the ball’s going to be on the money every single time,” Shakir said about his quarterback.
SMART MONEY MOVES
It’s every professional athlete’s dream to get that second contract, which usually means big bucks coming into the bank account.
But Shakir knows that keeping the wealth is just as important as earning it. He did a fun campaign with Kelley Blue Book, the industry standard for vehicle valuations and ratings, as it highlights him still driving his 2021 Subaru despite his big extension.
Shakir is a practical guy, though, and with his wife, Sayler, and new baby girl, Sunny Haven, to look after off the field, he doesn’t always need to flash his finances around.
“It was something that aligned so perfectly because of how they do their research and how they make their informed decision,” Shakir said when asked about his partnership with Kelley Blue Book. “It’s exactly the lifestyle I like to live and it meshed together with being financially smart with your money.”
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