(File Photo: Source for Photo: Buffalo Bills quarterback Shane Buechele (6) runs the ball for a short gain in the second half of a preseason NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Orchard Park, NY., Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills rookie head coach Joe Brady closed a perfect preseason with a come-from-behind victory and the opportunity to get Josh Allen’s insights as a play-caller on the sideline.
Now comes the next challenge for Brady, as the 36-year-old enters the season as the NFL’s youngest coach and overseeing a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
For a moment, all that could wait, with Brady instead savoring the closing minutes of a 28-27 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night. With 1:06 left, Ian Wheeler scored on a 2-yard run and the Bills went ahead on Steve Buechele off-balance completion to Dante Pettis for a 2-point conversion.
“There’s so much to be proud of for those guys,” Brady said.
“Some of those guys might not ever play football again and I wanted to make sure they did everything they can to play good football,” he added, referring to NFL teams making their final cuts this weekend. “I learned a lot about just the mindset of both our starters, just how they were on the sidelines, (and) the makeup of the football team.”
As for Allen’s involvement, Brady said he welcomed the opportunity to have Allen on the headset sharing his thought process with the game on the line.
“Usually the first things that come to his head are the things that I probably should be calling. So I’ve had a lot of fun with it,” Brady said.
The Bills closed the preseason 3-0, while the Steelers finished 1-2 and face a few injury questions.
Second-year quarterback Will Howard, who started the game, was being evaluated for an undisclosed injury and not made available to reporters, the team announced.
Also, special teams ace Ben Skowronek appeared to hurt his head while tackling Mecole Hardman on a kickoff return in the first half. Skowronek was escorted up the tunnel and coach Mike McCarthy did not have an update on the player’s status.
The Steelers’ last chance to pull ahead ended at Pittsburgh’s 38, with Drew Allar’s pass sailing behind tight end Lake McRee on fourth-and-7 with 44 seconds remaining. It was a disappointing finish for Allar in an outing the rookie was attempting to separate himself from Howard in the competition for the Steelers’ third-string job.
“I feel good about everything that I put on tape,” Allar said. “I think the biggest thing is I have a lot of great mentors, between players and coaches to learn from. From the things I’ve done well and also the mistakes I’ve made.”
With Rodgers back home resting in Pittsburgh, and primary backup Mason Rudolph watching from the bench, Howard and Allar finished with mixed results.
Allar finished 9 of 18 for 88 yards and oversaw one touchdown drive that was capped by Eli Heidenreich scoring on a 9-yard run to open the second half.
Howard, a sixth-round pick in 2025, started and went 9 of 15 with two touchdowns — both on drives starting inside Buffalo’s 30 — and an interception on seven possessions in the first half. The interception was Howard’s third of the preseason, after being picked off twice in a 17-0 loss to the New York Jets last weekend.
Howard completed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Germie Bernard to open the scoring, and also hit McRee for a 5-yards touchdown.
Kaden Wetjen also scored on a 45-yard punt return that put the Steelers ahead 27-17 four minutes into the fourth quarter.
With Kyle Allen appearing to have locked up the primary backup job behind Josh Allen, Buechele handled the quarterback duties in finishing 26 for 38 for 196 yards. After Wheeler scored on third down, Buechele back-pedaled in the face of pressure before getting off a pass to Pettis, who was open along the left side of the goal line.
“I thought this was one of my best preseasons, if not the best,” said Buechele, who has split his first five NFL years between Kanas City and Buffalo, and made his first game appearance last season with the Chiefs. “I don’t know how this thing is going to roll, but just staying in prayer and seeing what happens.
Frank Gore Jr. scored on a 1-yard run for Buffalo, and receiver Skyler Bell also found the end zone on a 28-yard scamper off a reverse.
Up next
Steelers: Open regular season hosting Atlanta on Sept. 13.
Bills: Open regular season at Houston on Sept. 13.
