Year after year, quarterback Josh Allen has transformed into a customizable "Madden" character at the Buffalo Bills' "Return of the Blue and Red" training camp practice at Highmark Stadium. He's sported a variety of non-traditional Bills helmets, accompanied by a colorful pallet of visors.
Allen will "probably" finally wear a visor in an NFL game Thursday when his 2-0 Bills host the 0-2 Miami Dolphins, but it won't be nearly as flashy. It's for protection, after all.
Two days after his nose was bruised and bloodied during the first quarter of a 30-10 win over the New York Jets in Week 2, the reigning league MVP wore a clear visor during Bills practice Tuesday.
"Yeah, we'll see. We'll probably wear it in the game, just trying to get used to it," Allen said afterward, via ESPN.
Allen simply said the visor makes the helmet a bit warmer and causes his voice to kind of echo off it. Other than that, it doesn't have much of an effect.
He wore a clear visor when he played at Wyoming, where he emerged as a top-flight NFL prospect before he was selected No. 7 overall in the 2018 draft.
Allen missed only two plays after he took a blow to the nose this past weekend against the Jets. He then returned to the field and played until head coach Sean McDermott removed most of the Bills' starters late in the blowout win.
The three-time Pro Bowler hasn't showed up on the injury report this week.
"Yeah, his nose didn't get any bigger, I don't think," McDermott said jokingly on Monday, per ESPN. "It's always looked good to me. I think it still looks good. I think we're in a good spot."
The 29-year-old Allen has made 107 consecutive starts, the longest active streak held by an NFL quarterback.
He's led the Bills to wins over the Baltimore Ravens and the Jets so far this season. The first of those victories came in incredible, come-from-behind fashion.
Allen accounted for 424 total yards and four touchdowns while piloting the Bills to 16 points in the final four minutes of the comeback win against another AFC title contender in Baltimore.
He's picked up right where he left off during his MVP campaign. A bruised nose didn't get in the way of that encore, which now will include him wearing a visor in an NFL game for the first time.