Josh Allen
Josh Allen is a professional American football quarterback, born on May 21, 1996, in Firebaugh, California. He grew up in a farming family and showed early promise as an athlete, excelling at Firebaugh High School as the star quarterback. After not receiving a scholarship from any Division I schools, Allen began his college career at Reedley College before earning a spot at the University of Wyoming. Despite initial challenges, including injuries, he led Wyoming to significant victories and garnered attention for his strong arm and dual-threat capabilities.
In the 2018 NFL Draft, Allen was selected seventh overall by the Buffalo Bills. Over the years, he has developed into one of the league's top quarterbacks, recording impressive statistics and leading the Bills to multiple playoff appearances. Notably, he signed a lucrative contract extension before the 2021 season and has consistently performed well, including a breakout year in 2020 where he threw for 37 touchdowns. By 2023, he had set several franchise records and was recognized as a Pro Bowl player multiple times, demonstrating his impact on the team and the league.
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Josh Allen
- Born: May 21, 1996
- Place of Birth: Firebaugh, California
Background
Professional football player Josh Allen was born on May 21, 1996, in Firebaugh, California, a farming community in the central part of the state. Allen’s family owned a cotton farm in the area since the mid-1970s. His grandfather, A.E. “Buzz” Allen, and father, Joel Allen, were farmers. Joel and his wife, LaVonne, are the parents of four children, two boys and two girls. Josh Allen seemed destined to follow in his father’s footsteps, earning a Future Farmers of America degree while in school.
Allen was also an exceptional athlete and played football from a young age. He attended Firebaugh High School, which was built on land donated by his grandfather. He was a star quarterback for Firebaugh and hoped to play college football at nearby Fresno State University, a school he grew up rooting for. However, Fresno State did not offer him a scholarship. Allen was not offered a scholarship from any Division I college. The largest schools with the highest level of athletic programs are classified as Division I.
Instead, Allen attended Reedley College, a small community college in Reedley, California. Allen threw for 26 touchdowns to lead a high-powered offense that averaged 452 yards per game. In 2015, Allen was offered a scholarship by one Division I school, the University of Wyoming. He played in only two games that seasons with their team, the Cowboys, before experiencing a season-ending injury.
Wyoming was not known as a college football powerhouse, but Allen led the team to an 8–6 record in 2016 with wins over two top-25 teams. A year later, Allen led the Cowboys to an 8–3 record, missing two games with an injury. He returned to lead Wyoming to a victory in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, in which he won most valuable player honors.
Life’s Work
Allen’s strong arm and dual threat ability as a runner and passer made him a highly sought-after prospect in the 2018 draft for the National Football League (NFL). Some experts predicted Allen could be the top-overall player chosen. However, some teams were concerned that he did not face top-level competition at Wyoming. Allen ended up being taken seventh overall by the Buffalo Bills, who traded up in the draft to get him.
Allen began the 2018 season as a backup before getting a chance to start in the team’s second game of the season. He started in eleven games for the Bills and finished with a 5–6 record, throwing for ten touchdown passes and twelve interceptions. Although his completion percentage was among the lowest in the NFL, he did rush for eight touchdowns, the most in the league for a quarterback. Allen improved slightly in 2019, throwing for 20 touchdowns and rushing for nine, although his completion percentage was still well below league average.
The 2020 season proved to be a breakout year for Allen as he threw for 4,544 yards and 37 touchdowns, plus an additional eight rushing scores. He led the Bills to a 13–3 record and a berth in the AFC Conference Championship game, a 38–24 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Allen was selected to the NFL Pro Bowl and finished second in voting for the league’s most valuable player (MVP).
Before the start of the 2021 season, Allen signed a six-year, $258-million contract extension with the Bills. That season, Allen threw for 36 touchdown passes and ran for six more, once again leading the Bills into the playoffs. In a divisional matchup against Kansas City, Allen threw a touchdown pass—his fourth of the game—with just thirteen seconds left, giving the Bills a 36–33 lead. Although it seemed like the Bills would win, the Chiefs staged an unlikely drive to tie the game. Kansas City won in overtime.
Allen continued to be one of the game’s best quarterbacks in 2022, throwing for 4,283 yards with 35 passing and seven rushing touchdowns. He made his second Pro Bowl and finished third in the MVP voting. The Bills posted a 13–3 record but lost in the playoffs to the Cincinnati Bengals. Allen had another solid season in 2023, completing 385 passes for 4,306 yards and 29 touchdowns. He also sccored 15 rushing touchdown, tieing for the NFL record of most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a single season with Jalen Hurts. He was selected for his third Pro Bowl. While the Bills made it to the playoffs, they again did not make it past the divisional round.
Impact
Since joining the Bills in 2018, Allen has led the team to four playoff appearances in five seasons as of 2023. During that time, the Bills offense was one of the best in the NFL. His ability to move the ball with his arm and his legs earned him several team and NFL records. He holds the Bills’ record for most career rushing yards and rushing touchdowns by a quarterback. He is also the only Buffalo quarterback to throw for more than 4,000 in three straight seasons. He is additionally the first player in NFL history to have at least 25 passing touchdowns and five rushing touchdowns in three seasons.
Bibliography
Glab, Maddy. “Top 10 Stats to Know About Josh Allen’s Sizzling Start Through Week 6.” Buffalo Bills, 21 Oct. 2022, www.buffalobills.com/news/top-10-stats-to-know-about-josh-allen-s-sizzling-start-through-week-6. Accessed 8 May 2023.
Graham, Tim. “You Bloom Where You’re Planted: The Cultivation of Josh Allen, Part 1.” The Buffalo News, 18 May 2018, buffalonews.com/sports/video‗edd08018-6274-583b-b9fe-0166eed45576.html. Accessed 8 May 2023.
“Josh Allen.” Buffalo Bills, 2024, www.buffalobills.com/team/players-roster/josh-allen/. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.
“Josh Allen.” Pro Football Reference, 2024, www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AlleJo02.htm. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.
“#17 Josh Allen.” University of Wyoming, gowyo.com/sports/football/roster/josh-allen/1509. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.