ORCHARD PARK, NY — Josh Allen’s latest kneeling action had nothing to do with football.

The Buffalo Bills quarterback and his girlfriend, actress Hailee Steinfeld, posted a photo to their Instagram followers Friday — 20.3 million for Steinfeld and just 1.3 million for Allen — of Allen proposing on one knee. The photo was taken on a grassy ridge overlooking the water, with the couple surrounded by candles and framed by a large arch covered in flowers.

The NFL reposted the photo on X to congratulate the couple on their engagement, with a message that ended with a ring and heart emoji.

The setting was probably somewhere on the California coast, where Allen lives in the off-season. And the proposal probably took place sometime last week, when the bills had a bye.

Allen did not announce the engagement during his weekly press conference on Wednesday as the AFC East-leading Bills (9-2) prepare to host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday evening. But he did smile broadly when asked how he enjoyed his bye week.

“Fantastic. It was great. Got some sun. Hanged out with family. It was fantastic,” he said.

Allen and Steinfeld first connected in the spring of 2023, when they were photographed having dinner together in New York City. Months later, Allen acknowledged that the two were dating, but asked The Associated Press not to mention Steinfeld by name in an effort to maintain some semblance of privacy.

Steinfeld has since started attending Bills home games, and the couple hosted a Halloween party this fall.

Steinfeld, 27, is from Los Angeles and started her acting career at the age of 10. She earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mattie Ross in the Coen brothers’ 2010 remake of “True Grit.” She also received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in the 2016 high school drama “The Edge of Seventeen.” Her other credits include “Bumblebee” and voice roles in “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” and its sequel .

Steinfeld transitioned to pop music after performing 2015’s ‘Pitch Perfect 2’. She has released numerous singles and two EPs, including ‘Half Written Story’ in 2020.

The 28-year-old Allen has become one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks, setting many of Buffalo’s single-season and career passing and scoring records since being selected in the first round of the 2018 draft out of Wyoming.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl