“He's a guy that I love dearly”: How Josh Allen repaid Brian Daboll's support after Buffalo Bills coach lost the grandmother who raised him

Josh Allen knew the pain Brian Daboll was going through. The Buffalo Bills quarterback had once broken down in his coach's arms after losing his own grandmother. Nearly a year later, Daboll faced the same heartbreak. He had lost the woman who raised him, and Allen did not let the difficult week pass without acknowledging what his coach meant to him. After Buffalo's win over Washington, the quarterback dedicated the performance to Daboll.It was an emotional role reversal for the two men. In November 2020, Daboll had been there to comfort Allen. On September 26, 2021, Allen returned that support with a heartfelt tribute that showed just how close their relationship had become. How Brian Daboll comforted Josh Allen after his grandmother's deathAllen's loss came on November 7, 2020, when his grandmother, Patricia Allen, died unexpectedly at 80. The news arrived on the eve of Buffalo's game against the Seattle Seahawks. Despite the heartbreak, Allen decided to play.He later explained that one thought kept him going. His grandmother would have wanted him to be on the field, enjoying the game he loved."All I kept telling myself was she would've wanted me to play," Allen told reporters on November 11, 2020, while discussing his grandmother's death and the Seahawks game.The quarterback honoured that thought with a remarkable performance. Buffalo beat Seattle 44-34 on November 8, with Allen completing 31 of 38 passes for 415 yards and four total touchdowns.But once the game ended, the emotions caught up with him. Allen entered the locker room and broke down. Daboll, then the Bills' offensive coordinator, was there to hold him.Daboll recalled the moment while speaking to reporters on November 9, 2020."When he came in off the field and into the locker room, he kind of fell into my arms a little bit," he said.The coach also spoke about how difficult it was to watch someone he cared about deal with such a painful loss. For Allen, that embrace came at a moment when he needed it most. How Josh Allen returned the favour after Daboll lost the woman who raised himLess than a year later, Daboll faced a similar loss. His grandmother, the woman who raised him, died just days before Buffalo's September 26, 2021, game against Washington.Allen knew that his coach was going through a difficult time. He also remembered how Daboll had stood beside him after Patricia's death. This time, the quarterback wanted to give something back.The Bills responded with a 43-21 win over Washington. Allen threw for 358 yards and four touchdowns, but his words after the game carried a much more personal message.During his postgame press conference on September 26, 2021, Allen spoke about Daboll's loss."He lost his grandma this week, the woman who raised him," Allen said.He then brought up the moment from the previous season when Daboll had caught him in the locker room."It's just crazy how the roles are reversed. Ya know, last year I got to come in the locker room and have a heartfelt hug with him, and this year, he falls into my arms. He's a guy that I love dearly," Allen said.The quarterback also explained that the players understood what Daboll and his family were facing. They wanted to execute well and give their coach a performance he could appreciate during such a difficult week.Allen was not alone in paying tribute. Offensive lineman Dion Dawkins also dedicated the victory to Daboll, while head coach Sean McDermott praised the togetherness within the team.For Allen, the win was about more than putting another victory on Buffalo's record. Daboll had caught him during one of the lowest moments of his life. When the coach experienced his own heartbreak, Allen made sure he was there for him. Nearly a year apart, those two locker-room moments showed how much their bond meant to both men.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.