Jacksonville Jaguars edge rusher Josh Allen had a breakout 2023 season.
The former seventh overall pick rose to his potential last fall, recording a career high 17.5 sacks en route to his second Pro Bowl invitation. That led to a five-year, $141 million contract extension to stay in Florida and a reputation as one of the game’s fiercest young pass rushers.
But Allen wasn’t complete. That’s why he opted to change his name before the 2024 season, where he’ll be known on his nameplate and on the Jaguars’ roster sheet as Joshua Hines-Allen.
๐๐ผ๐๐ต๐๐ฎ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐-๐๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป
Legacy is forever, and I'm proud to carry that tradition on the back of my jersey, following in the footsteps of my family, who have donned the Hines-Allen last name with so much pride and joy. pic.twitter.com/8wAaj2hhpS
— Joshua Hines-Allen (@JoshAllen41_) July 9, 2024
“I am deciding to change my last name. I’m Joshua Hines-Allen, defensive end, Jacksonville Jaguars,” Hines-Allen announced in a video released via Twitter.
“I’ve always been a Hines, and legacy is forever. Family is important to me because when you come from a rich history of athletic people in your family… to go to my sister’s [current WNBA player Myisha Hines-Allen] games, to know what my uncles did in college and in the NBA, it just means something a little bit more.”
Allen’s uncle Gregory Hines was selected in the fifth round of the 1983 NBA Draft and played basketball professionally for 10 years. Two other sisters, LaTorri and Kyra, also played college ball.
The name change also differentiates the defender in an era where there’s another dominant Josh Allen in the AFC. Hines-Allen’s switch means we won’t have the opportunity to see Jacksonville Jaguar Josh Allen sack Buffalo Bill Josh Allen in the postseason. But it does mean Hines-Allen gets to honor his family and the world at large gets to finally discard all the “good Josh Allen” jokes that went stale sometime around 2020. So, everyone wins.