By JOHN ANDERSON
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen leaping over defenders and winning football games is becoming common.
But it’s still amazing.
On Sunday, he jumped over Kansas City Chiefs defender Justin Reid on an incredible run for a first down as the Bills were in danger of losing.
Two plays after the “leap heard ’round social media,” Allen threw a 14-yard touchdown to Dawson Knox with 1:04 left and the Bills had a 24-20 win over their rivals on the road.
The Buffalo Bills asked fans to submit funny photos of Allen jumping over things.
The Bills, with two million followers on Instagram and Facebook, picked their four favorites, and one was created by Wellsville graduate Padden Newark(’09) of Josh Allen jumping over a barrel in Donkey Kong.
What might have been funnier than Padden’s creation was the fact his mother, superstar ICS kindergarten teacher M.A. Newark, posted the photo on her Facebook from the Bills and didn’t even notice her son was on the photo getting credit.
One of the photos created by Joshua Reeve has Josh Allen leaping over Letchworth State Park and a hot air balloon.
The funny graphics caught the eye of over 55,000 fans who liked Padden’s photo, including Ty Ballou, President and CEO of PLB Sports & Entertainment.
Ballou works with Josh Allen on his coffee and cereal which are sold to benefit Oishei’s Children’s Hospital in Buffalo (the company also works with Stefon Diggs).
“Each day I see things posted by Bills Mafia fans that make me laugh, but I am also amazed by their talents,” Ballou said. “We work with athletes and entertainers all over the nation, but nothing tops the talent and passion of Buffalo Bills fans. What Padden and the others did with Josh leaping over things was brilliant!”
Allen was named the AFC Player of the Week for his performance, as he went 27-of-40 passes for 329 yards and three touchdowns.
The first-place Buffalo Bills (5-1) have a bye this weekend then host the Green Bay Packers at Highmark Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 30 in a Sunday Night Football contest.
(See the other fan photos after Josh Allen’s Player of the Week accomplishments)
The NFL sent the following on Josh Allen to the Wellsville Sun:
Quarterback JOSH ALLEN of the Buffalo Bills, defensive lineman QUINNEN WILLIAMS of the New York Jets and kicker DUSTIN HOPKINS of the Los Angeles Chargers are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in Week 6 (October 13, 16-17).
OFFENSE: QB JOSH ALLEN, BUFFALO BILLS
Allen completed 27 of 40 pass attempts (67.5 percent) for 329 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions for a 117.6 rating and added 32 rushing yards in Buffalo’s 24-20 victory in Kansas City. He led a 12-play, 76-yard drive that ended with the game-winning touchdown pass with just over a minute remaining in the fourth quarter.
This is the ninth-career Offensive Player of the Week award for Allen and second this season:
2018: Week 17
2019: Week 11
2020: Weeks 2, 9, 13, 15
2021: Week 3
2022: Weeks 5, 6
Allen becomes the first player to win consecutive Offensive Player of the Week awards since Justin Herbert (Weeks 13-14, 2021) and is the first Bills player to ever win the award in back-to-back weeks.
Since entering the league in 2018, Allen’s nine Player of the Week awards are tied with Patrick Mahomes for the most among all players.
Here are the other fan-photos the Bills featured:
