In today’s NFL, there are few players that are as fun to watch as is Josh Allen, quarterback of the Buffalo Bills. He’s got a cannon for an arm, he will make something out of nothing, and he can run when he needs to and isn’t afraid to lower a shoulder instead of sliding. He also will go toe-to-toe with other young and talented QBs in the league such as Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes. His playoff performance against the Chiefs in Kansas City a couple of years ago is one of the greatest games in NFL history.
So, who does Josh Allen remind you of? For me, it’s John Elway.
John Elway played his entire 16-year career with the Denver Broncos, winning Super Bowls in his final two years, 1997 and ’98. There is a list of traits he shares with Josh Allen… big, tough, strong arm, and sometimes a bit reckless. Elway always stood his ground when pitted against his contemporaries such as Dan Marino and Joe Montana. I think as Josh Allen continues his career, his trajectory will be similar to Elway’s, in that Elway advanced in the playoffs early in his career, only to lose near the end. The losses for both also have similarities… both tried to do too much or were forced to due to an imbalanced offense. Many of today’s teams rely too much on the passing game, and too early abandon the running game. This is where turnovers happen. And turnovers are probably the most important statistic in the game. It wasn’t until Elway got a formidable ground game that he finally won his Super Bowls. And I believe the same solution will prove true for Josh Allen. As always, time will tell.