The WINTER SOLDIER

Brilliant Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen talks about his tough rise to the top

- NICOLAS STECHER

There’s no quarterback in the NFL who mirrors the particular skill combination that Josh Allen brings to the gridiron. His singular combo of hulking size, precision accuracy, 50-caliber cannon arm, and gazelle-like speed are what makes him a true unicorn across all pro sports. While some of these qualities are God-given, Allen’s destiny as a premier NFL QB was far from preordained. Yet his prodigious college performance at the University of Wyoming and boundless natural talent led to his being drafted seventh overall by the Buffalo Bills in 2018.

While early struggles defined his rookie year, in 2020 Allen broke out—leading the Bills to their first playoff victory in a quarter of a century. Ever since, the “Winter Soldier” has solidified himself as one of the deadliest weapons in the game, in 2021 becoming the first player ever to throw for 4,000 yards and rush for 750 yards in a single season. Beloved by the Bills Mafia, one of the NFL’s rowdiest fanbases, that summer he was rewarded with a six year, $250 million-plus contract. We spoke with Allen just prior to a dominant Week 12 victory over hated rivals the New England Patriots:

You grew up on a farm in central California, went to Wyoming for university, and got drafted by the smallest market in the NFL. What are your feelings on the luck, or destiny, of landing in Buffalo?