‘That’s Your Norm,’ ‘How Is That Hating?’ — Super Bowl Champion Rejects ‘Josh Allen Hater’ Label Despite Refusing To Be ‘Impressed’ by Bills QB

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‘That’s Your Norm,’ ‘How Is That Hating?’ — Super Bowl Champion Rejects ‘Josh Allen Hater’ Label Despite Refusing To Be ‘Impressed’ by Bills QB

Sep 17, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) runs against the Detroit Lions during the first half at New Highmark Stadium. © Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Priyanshu Choudhary · Pro Football Network

Sat, Sep 19, 2026 ·

4 min read

Aqib Talib Isn't Sure About Josh Allen Yet

Despite giving up 62 points in the first two games, the Buffalo Bills have managed to start 2-0. And that has boiled down to Josh Allen being at his absolute best. As the team has poured in 77 points, he has been responsible for a huge chunk of it.

Ranking at number three on PFN's Quarterback Impact Metrics , Allen is already up to 582 passing yards and five touchdowns through the air, alongside 92 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

But even with that level of production, Aqib Talib still has more he wants to see. The five-time Pro Bowler, in his new show with Skip Bayless called "The Gridiron," explained why he still had doubts about Allen.

"The public picked them last year; they felt good about it. A lot of people picked them the year before; they felt good about it. Now, I don't really get where this hate is coming from because I say we've seen this all before; that's hating? Because I say Josh Allen always ball, that's hating?"

His comments came after Bayless sent out a post on X after the Bills beat the Detroit Lions that read, "Can't wait to see Josh Allen hater Aqib Talib tomorrow."

But for Talib, the superhuman performances from Allen have become the norm, especially in the regular season. As a result, he admitted that he wasn't impressed with his showing this season, yet.

"We've been seeing Josh Allen at the top for the last four or five years. Just you floating at the top is not going to keep impressing me. Now, I'mma be impressed with a Super Bowl appearance. Okay, Josh Allen got over that hump now. That's going to impress me now with a Super Bowl win," Talib said.

For the former Super Bowl champion, that was the bar that Allen needed to clear. Listing off his accomplishments, from AFC Championship Game appearances to individual accolades like MVPs, he believed the expectation for the Bills was far greater.

"I don't see how it's hate when I say that's Josh Allen's norm. I don't get it. So when I give him a seven on how impressed I was, all I'm saying is, 'Bro, that's your norm. That's what I'm used to with you.' Now, if you're going to impress me, get over the hump. Go to the Super Bowl. At least appear in the Super Bowl. Now, if you win it, that's really impressive."

Even though he gave him an "A+" grade for his performance, the five-time Pro Bowler drew a line at being impressed by Allen. Going back to the idea that this was his norm, Talib needed more from the dual-threat quarterback to take it up a notch.

"If you come out and you always get an A, eventually that's just not going to impress me anymore. Like that's your norm. You know what I'm saying? You've got to do something better than your norm to impress me," Talib concluded.

It remains to be seen if this can finally be the year that Allen can get over that playoff hump. So far, he's suffered losses at the hands of Joe Burrow , Patrick Mahomes (4 times), and Bo Nix last year.

But with arguably the best offense of his career, this might be one of the best chances he has to take that next step and get to the Super Bowl.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network .