Josh Allen and Kyle Allen are two of the most prominent quarterbacks in the National Football League (NFL). Josh Allen plays for the Buffalo Bills, while Kyle Allen plays for the Houston Texans. Both of them have impressive stats and achievements in their careers, but are they related by blood?
The short answer is no. Josh Allen and Kyle Allen are not related to each other, despite sharing the same surname and playing the same position. They have different backgrounds, origins, and paths to the NFL. Here is a brief overview of their respective stories.
Contents
Josh Allen: From Farm Boy to Franchise Star
Josh Allen was born on May 21, 1996, in Firebaugh, California. He grew up on a 3,000-acre cotton farm that his family has owned since his great-grandfather emigrated from Sweden in 1907. He attended Firebaugh High School, where he played football, basketball, and baseball. He was a fan of the Fresno State Bulldogs, but he did not receive any scholarship offers from them or any other NCAA Division I program. He was considered too skinny and inexperienced by most college scouts.
He decided to enroll at Reedley College, a junior college in California, where he played for one season and threw for 2,055 yards and 26 touchdowns. He then transferred to the University of Wyoming, where he played for two more seasons and earned second-team All-Mountain West Conference honors in 2016. He declared for the 2018 NFL Draft after his junior year, and was selected seventh overall by the Buffalo Bills.
Since joining the Bills, Josh Allen has established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He led the Bills to their first division title and playoff victory since 1995 in 2020, and set franchise records for single-season passing yards and touchdowns. He also earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors that year. He has a strong arm, a mobile style, and a charismatic personality that have made him a fan favorite in Buffalo.
Kyle Allen: From Top Recruit to Journeyman Backup
Kyle Allen was born on March 8, 1996, in Scottsdale, Arizona. He attended Desert Mountain High School, where he was teammates with Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews. He was a five-star recruit by Rivals.com and was ranked as the best pro-style quarterback and seventh best player overall in his class. He received offers from several schools to play college football, but he committed to Texas A&M in June 2013.
He played for Texas A&M for two seasons, starting as a true freshman in 2014. He had a 3-2 win-loss record as a starter, including a memorable win over Auburn where he threw for four touchdowns. However, he also struggled with inconsistency and competition from other quarterbacks on the roster. He decided to transfer to Houston in 2016, where he reunited with his former coach Tom Herman.
He sat out the 2016 season due to NCAA transfer rules, and played for Houston in 2017. He started the first three games of the season, but was benched after throwing four interceptions against Texas Tech. He did not play again for the rest of the season, and declared for the 2018 NFL Draft after his junior year. He went undrafted and signed with the Carolina Panthers as a free agent.
He spent most of his rookie season on the practice squad, but was promoted to the active roster late in the season due to injuries to Cam Newton and Taylor Heinicke. He started the final game of the season against the New Orleans Saints and threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns in a win. He remained with the Panthers in 2019, and started 12 games after Newton suffered another injury. He had some promising performances, but also threw more interceptions than touchdowns and lost six straight games before being benched himself.
He was traded to Washington in 2020, where he reunited with his former coach Ron Rivera. He started four games for Washington before breaking his ankle and missing the rest of the season. He signed with the Houston Texans in 2022 as a backup to Tyrod Taylor. He has not played any snaps for the Texans so far.
Conclusion
Josh Allen and Kyle Allen are both talented quarterbacks who have had different journeys in their football careers. They are not related by blood or by any other means, except for their common passion for the game. They may face each other on the field someday, but they will always respect each other as competitors and professionals.
