Josh Allen on Sam Darnold’s Super Bowl Run: “That’s My Boy”
When Josh Allen first crossed paths with Sam Darnold at a college awards dinner in early 2017, the spotlight wasn’t exactly shared. Darnold was the headliner, taking home the big award of the night.
Allen, still flying under the radar out of Wyoming, was just starting to catch the eye of scouts. But even then, Allen walked away impressed-not just with Darnold, but with the way Darnold and his family connected with him.
“They were super down to earth,” Allen said in a 2019 interview. “They were very interested in my story and where I came from.”
That early connection blossomed into a friendship that’s lasted nearly a decade. The two quarterbacks grew closer while training together at Jordan Palmer’s QB camp later in 2017, and they’ve stayed tight ever since. So when Allen says he’s pulling hard for Darnold ahead of this Sunday’s Super Bowl, it’s not just a soundbite-it’s real.
Allen: “I’ve Got Nothing But Love and Respect for Sammy D”
Speaking on First Things First earlier this week, Allen didn’t hold back his support for Darnold, who’s now set to start in the Super Bowl for the Seattle Seahawks.
“That’s my boy,” Allen said. “He’s been at a few stops and obviously got his opportunity last year in Minnesota … now he’s playing in the Super Bowl. He’s worked extremely hard for it.”
It’s a full-circle moment for two quarterbacks who were once pegged as the future of the AFC East. Both were top-seven picks in the 2018 NFL Draft-Darnold going third overall to the Jets, Allen seventh to the Bills. Both were tasked with reviving franchises that had been stuck in the shadow of Tom Brady’s Patriots for far too long.
The Jets hadn’t won the division since 2002. The Bills? Not since 1995.
Careers That Took Different Roads
Their rookie seasons were a mixed bag-flashes of brilliance, plenty of growing pains. But from there, their paths diverged.
Allen steadily improved, evolving into one of the league’s top quarterbacks. He led Buffalo to the division crown in 2020 and eventually added a league MVP to his résumé.
Darnold, meanwhile, struggled to gain traction in New York. The Jets’ dysfunction didn’t help, and before long, he was bouncing around the league, trying to find the right fit. It’s been a winding road-one that’s taken him from the Jets to the Panthers, then to a backup role in Minnesota, and finally to Seattle, where he’s now preparing to start the biggest game of his life.
The 2018 QB Class: A Mixed Bag of Stars and Misses
The 2018 draft class was billed as a quarterback goldmine. Five QBs went in the first round: Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, and Lamar Jackson. And while not all of them panned out, the group has delivered some serious production.
Mayfield, Allen, and Jackson have combined for 28 playoff starts. Together, they’ve thrown for more than 80,000 yards and rushed for nearly 13,000 more-roughly the distance from Miami to New York and back. They’ve piled up 729 total touchdowns and taken home three of the last six MVP awards.
But until now, none of them had reached the Super Bowl.
That changes Sunday, when Darnold takes the field for Seattle.
Darnold’s Resilience Pays Off
Back in 2018, there was no shortage of debate over who would have the best career. Many believed Darnold was the safest bet-polished, poised, and ready-made for the NFL.
Mayfield’s fiery personality and sharp football mind helped him climb to the No. 1 pick. Allen and Jackson were seen as high-upside projects who needed time to develop.
And Rosen, taken 10th overall by Arizona, was supposed to be the most NFL-ready of them all.
We know how that played out.
Rosen’s career never got off the ground. Darnold looked like he might be heading down the same road.
But Allen and Jackson? They put in the work, refined their games, and now have MVPs to show for it.
And Darnold? He didn’t quit. He kept grinding, kept believing, and now he’s got his shot on the biggest stage in football.
From Rivals to Role Models
It’s a twist of fate that Darnold, once the golden boy of the 2018 class, is now the first to start a Super Bowl. And Allen, who spent those early years chasing Darnold’s college success, is now watching his friend rise again.
In Allen’s eyes, it’s not about who got there first-it’s about the journey.
“I’m rooting for my man there, who wears No. 14 for the Seattle Seahawks,” Allen said.
It’s a reminder that rivalries can evolve into respect. And sometimes, the road less traveled still leads to the Super Bowl.