Following the Buffalo Bills’ 26–7 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, defensive lineman Cam Heyward told reporters he was furious because Josh Allen kneed him in the stomach during the game. The allegation immediately created debate. But before this issue becomes a controversy, the Bills’ quarterback has issued his stance on the matter.

“I have a lot of respect for Cam Heyward, but we’re on to Cincinnati,” Allen said after practice on Wednesday, making it clear that he had no interest in controversy.

This comes days after Heyward went all out with his accusations.

“Being kneed in my stomach,” the player reportedly said on Monday. “Then I was jawing back and forth. Ticked off the entire game because, as a quarterback, they’re protected and I’m not. It just pisses me off.

“Allen even said after, ‘I had to do something to get you off of me’.”

While there is no video evidence to support the Steelers’ player’s allegations, he said the incident occurred at the end of the second quarter. Following that, the duo continued exchanging words. Eventually, it reached a fever pitch in the third quarter.

Immediately after Allen converted a third-and-3 run, both players remained on the turf as bodies untangled. When they rose, Heyward was called pressed his helmet into Allen’s facemask, and the two exchanged words. The defensive lineman was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty as a result. It was one of several heated moments in a game defined by physicality, big hits, and frustration boiling over from Pittsburgh.

However, the quarterback is shifting his attention to the Bengals. noah schnaThe Bills are 8-4 and hold the AFC’s final wild card spot. And with the Houston Texans sitting right behind them the margin for error isn’t great. The only productive response now for Allen is to put the Heyward issue aside and prepare for a Bengals team surging at just the perfect time.

On the other hand, Heyward has softened somewhat on the clash with Josh Allen.

Steelers captain cools down after Allen dust-up

Cam Heyward made it clear in an interview with Heavy.com that he’s ready to move on. Multiple tense moments between the two punctuated the Bills’ 26-7 win, but Heyward’s postgame frustration has cooled significantly.

After initially suggesting Allen had intentionally kneed him in the stomach, and fuming about the double standard of protection for quarterbacks versus defensive players, Heyward revised course on Wednesday.

Asked if there was anything he wanted fans to understand about it, he shut down the topic.

“No,” Heyward said. “Honestly, I’m kind of past it at this point. I think things were done. I’m going to move on. I’m going to focus on what I can control. More bonehead on me for even picking up a penalty and even reacting to it later. Football is meant to be played, and I’m going to do my job to make sure we move past this, and that’s all I can do.”

In reporter Jenna Cottrell’s field-level clip, Allen doesn’t appear to make any abrupt movement, though Heyward reacts immediately, a detail that only adds to the uncertainty. Heyward, meanwhile, has taken ownership of the fallout.

With Buffalo pushing toward the postseason and Pittsburgh attempting to salvage consistency, the confrontation turns into just another flare-up in an emotional, physical game, one both men seem intent on leaving behind.