Jim Kelly congratulates Josh Allen after he breaks Bills’ single-season record for touchdown passes

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DENVER, CO – DECEMBER 19: Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) smiles and wears the words Division Champions on a hat after the Buffalo Bills clinched the division with a win over the Denver Broncos after a game between the Denver Broncos and the Buffalo Bills at Empower Field at Mile High on December 19, 2020 in Denver, Colorado.

The Buffalo Bills had already locked up the AFC East this season, but Monday night’s win over the New England Patriots was just icing on the cake. The dominant 38-9 victory reclaimed the No. 2 seed in the AFC for the Bills, and also was the first time since 1999 that Buffalo had swept New England in the regular season. A big reason for the Bills’ 12th victory of the season was quarterback Josh Allen. The MVP candidate completed 27 of 36 passes for 320 yards and four touchdowns on Monday night, even though he handed off quarterbacking duties to Matt Barkley in the final quarter.

Allen’s final passing touchdown to Stefon Diggs in the fourth quarter was actually very significant. Not because it was Diggs’ third of the game, but because it broke the Bills’ single-season record for touchdown passes. Allen now has 34 touchdown passes on the year, which surpassed the 33 scores Jim Kelly threw during the 1991 season. After his record was broken, the Bills’ legend took to social media to congratulate Allen on his great achievement. 

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“Congratulations Josh! Keep breaking records and winning games! Keep doing your thing!” Kelly wrote. “Proud of you! Let’s go Buffalo!”

Allen now has 4,320 yards, 34 touchdowns and just nine interceptions on the season, and he’s putting together one of the most successful Bills campaigns since the Kelly days. The Bills’ single-season touchdown record was not Allen’s only accomplishment on Monday night, as he joined Hall of Famer Steve Young as the only players in NFL history with 4,000 yards passing, 30 passing touchdowns and five rushing touchdowns in a season, per NFL Research. Allen has been playing some of his best ball as of late, and it’s starting to show in the record book.