Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen's recruiting pitch to free agent pass rusher Von Miller was brief but also made a strong point.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane asked Allen to help persuade Miller -- a sought after free agent last offseason -- to join Buffalo in its quest to win the Lombardi Trophy.
Allen was on the golf course with Matt Barkley (who signed with the Bills in March) at the time, and according to The Athletic's Kalyn Kahler, he sent a three-line text to Miller naming the AFC East quarterbacks he'd go up against as a member of the Bills defense.
The text, per Kahler, was as follows:
Zach Wilson
Tua Tagovailoa
“You get to play these guys six times a year,” Barkley said, per Kahler. “Have at it. Why would you not want to come? I don’t know if that sold him or not, but it was a heavy pitch.”
We might never know if that text was a meaningful factor in Miller choosing to sign with the Bills. The addition was looking great for Buffalo's defense as Miller tallied eight sacks in his first 12 games, but he suffered a torn ACL against the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving and won't return this season.
That text also is a good indication of how far the New England Patriots have fallen since Tom Brady's departure after the 2019 season. Instead of being the team that veteran players joined to feast on inferior divisional opponents and reach the playoffs every season, the Patriots are now the team getting feasted on.
New England Patriots
The Bills are 3-1 against Jones since he made his Patriots debut as a rookie in 2021. One of those Bills wins was a 47-17 thumping of the Patriots in the AFC Wild Card round last season. It was the largest playoff loss for the Patriots since Bill Belichick took over as head coach in 2000.
The Bills beat the Patriots 24-10 at Gillette Stadium in Week 13 earlier this month. Miller, who was rehabbing his knee injury, did not play in that matchup. These AFC East rivals play once more in the Week 18 regular season finale in Buffalo, and it could decide whether the Patriots reach the postseason.