From having Football Outsiders writing that Josh Allen was a “parody of an NFL prospect” to him becoming MVP material, the Buffalo Bills football star has grown significantly as a quarterback.
But what was Josh Allen like only a few years ago? Was he really so mediocre before? Furthermore, what contributed to his sudden improvement?
Jeffrey Rusert of Jefferson County delves into Josh Allen’s career as a quarterback, as well as how he has massively improved since his NFL debut.
Josh Allen’s Evolution – By the Numbers
Before his professional career, Josh Allen had only completed 56% of his passes as a Wyoming quarterback. However, his completion percentage was even lower when he became an NFL rookie in 2018 – at only 53%. Fortunately, since then, Josh Allen has improved consistently.
Let’s take a look at his completion percentage over the years.
| Season | % of Completed Passes |
| 2019 | 58.8 |
| 2020 | 69.2 |
| 2021 | 63.3 |
| 2022 | 63.3 |
| 2023 | 71.7 |
Fans and sports analysts first noticed Josh Allen’s improvement in 2021 when he connected on 69.2% of his passes – a percentage not even Payton Manning nor Tom Brady achieved; both ended their football careers with 65.1% and 64.3%, respectively.
Moreover, in 2021, Josh Allen was 6th in Total Quarterback Ratings (66.3). He was behind the following:
- Aaron Rodgers (74.1)
- Tom Brady (73.1)
- Justin Herbert (70.9)
- Matthew Stafford (69.2)
- Patrick Mahomes (67.7)
In 2023, however, Josh Allen had a 75.0 QBR and was only slightly behind Brock Purdy (77.0).
But what did Josh Allen do to improve so quickly?
Josh Allen Sought Jordan Palmer as a Mentor
After Jordan Palmer retired as an NFL quarterback, he began working as a coach. Some of his students included Kyle Allen, Bo Nix, Patrick Mahomes, and Josh Allen. Under Palmer’s coaching in the QB Summit, thousands of Josh Allen’s passes were supervised, reviewed, and improved.
While Jordan Palmer was mentoring Josh Allen, he told the Rich Eisen Show, “If you put a list together of the most physically talented players to ever play the position, I don’t know who else is on that list, but (Allen) sure is. He might be at the top of it.”
But how did Jordan Palmer help Josh Allen develop his style of play?
Data Analytics
These days, coaches can utilize data analytics to understand how athletes play – and Jordan Palmer is one of those coaches. In the same interview, Palmer explained their studio has a “4D, high-speed, motion capture camera system.”
This technology helps Palmer and his team analyze athletes’ hip motion, weight distribution, and arm firing. Moreover, the analytics also provide the ball’s velocity and spin rate. With these technologies, Jordan Palmer helped tweak Josh Allen’s techniques to their peak potential.
However, was Josh Allen actually ever mediocre to begin with?
An Injury Likely Changed Josh Allen’s Stats
Since the NFL consists of high-level athletes, Josh Allen’s low completion percentage in his first year was fairly unsurprising. However, many don’t know that, before his NFL debut, the quarterback had injured his throwing shoulder.
Despite his assured career in the NFL, he still played for Wyoming against Central Michigan in the 2017 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Though Wyoming ultimately won, the injury likely had an effect on Josh Allen’s college and NFL rookie stats.
Nonetheless, these days, few football fans have doubts about the Buffalo Bills quarterback – as he got so much better over time. Most sports enthusiasts now anticipate that the 27-year-old Josh Allen is on the path to NFL superstardom.
Summary
Ever doubted Josh Allen’s skills and talent? As it turns out, many others did as well – mainly due to his lower-than-average ratings and completion percentages. However, in recent years, Josh Allen has significantly improved as a quarterback, thanks to regular practices and coaching.
Additionally, with only six years of experience as a professional athlete, we can expect that he will continue growing to eventually become one of the greatest quarterbacks ever.
