By JOHN WAWROW AP Sports Writer
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — If Josh Allen is experiencing any pre-wedding jitters, they weren’t evident when the Buffalo Bills opened voluntary practices on Tuesday.
The quarterback, who is engaged to actor and singer Hailee Steinfeld, looked his usual, outgoing self. He danced in the huddle to the music being played over the loudspeakers, barked out plays behind center and joined the celebration in the end zone after completing a perfectly placed pass to Curtis Samuel.
Allen even had time to chat with new Bills minority owner and former NBA star Vince Carter on the sideline before jogging off the field without speaking to reporters following the session.
Though the date and location of the wedding have not been disclosed, Bills tackle Dion Dawkins revealed it was May 31 during an interview on the NFL Network in March. Dawkins has since told The Rich Eisen Show, “I ain’t know anything about that.”
The wedding is scheduled to take place over one of the next two weekends, a person familiar with the details told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the date is private.
Coach Sean McDermott acknowledged how important the NFL MVP’s presence was at practice in light of his busy offseason schedule.
“I think it says everything, right? He is the face of our organization. He’s the leader of our team,” McDermott said. “Like any leader, in particular the leader of the team, those words that he says and his actions are exponentially impactful, to the whole roster, the whole team.”
As for Allen showing any pre-wedding nerves, McDermott laughed at the attempt to have him disclose the wedding date.
“Good try on that,” he said, before adding: “But he is as confident and as calm, cool and collected as he always is.”
Allen, who turned 29 last week, and the 28-year-old Steinfeld were engaged during the Bills bye week in November, when the quarterback proposed on a California cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
The two were first linked in the spring of 2023, when they were photographed dining together in New York City. Steinfeld has since begun attending Bills home games, and the couple hosted a Halloween party. The couple was inseparable at the NFL Awards ceremony in February, when Allen credited Steinfeld upon accepting the league’s MVP honor.
Allen has spoken highly of the settling influence provided by Steinfeld, referring to her as his biggest fan.
She began her acting career at the age of 10, and earned an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress for her role as Mattie Ross in the Coen brothers’ 2010 remake of “True Grit.” Other roles have included the 2016 high school dramedy “The Edge of Seventeen,” and “Dickinson.” She branched out into pop music after performing in the 2015 movie “Pitch Perfect 2.”
Allen is entering his eighth NFL season. In March, he signed a contract extension worth $330 million, including an NFL record $250 million of it guaranteed, making him among the league’s highest-paid players.
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