After name change, there’s now only one Josh Allen in the NFL

The NFL’s answer to Abbott and Costello’s iconic “Who’s on First” joke has been retired.

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Allen announced on his social media platforms Tuesday morning that he is changing his name to “Joshua Hines-Allen” ahead of the 2024 NFL season in honor of the maternal side of his family. Myisha Hines-Allen, Joshua’s sister who plays as a forward for the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, has long worn the “Hines-Allen” surname on the back of her jerseys.

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The name change is noteworthy not only because of the pass-rusher’s stature within the NFL (the reigning Pro Bowler is coming off a 2023 season in which he tallied a career-high 17.5 sacks), but because he previously shared a name with Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. The similarities between the two were coincidental to the point of eeriness—in addition to sharing the name, they were both taken at No. 7 overall in back-to-back NFL Drafts (in 2018 and 2019).

The two have played against each other twice in their professional careers, with the defender’s team taking each contest. Hines-Allen tallied a sack and interception in Jacksonville’s 2021 win before recording one tackle in their 2023 meeting.

The change, made for a genuinely heartwarming reason, will also allow each player to cement their own legacies and no longer be intrinsically linked to each other. Allen, with his NFL-record four consecutive seasons with more than 40 total touchdowns, and Hines-Allen, with his 45 carer sacks, are objectively two of the best in the league at their respective positions; general football fans will now be able to talk about them individually without inherently mentioning the other.

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