Despite growing up in Jets and Giants country in New Jersey, Jacksonville Jaguars DE Josh Allen grew up a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ahead of his first matchup with the Steelers in 2020, he talked about how he grew up a fan of QB Ben Roethlisberger, and how that made him excited to hit him. Ahead of Sunday’s Week Eight matchup with Pittsburgh, Allen didn’t seem to care much for talking about his ex-favorite team. He said he’s only focused on getting the opportunity to help the Jaguars win their sixth game of the season
“I grew out of that. For me, it’s a great opportunity for myself and this team to get to 6-2. That’s our main focus, that’s our main goal. If I can do anything I can to put us in a position to win, that would be special to me,” Allen said via 1010XLRadio in Jacksonville on YouTube.
Allen’s been a force for the Jaguars this season, with seven sacks in seven games. He also has two forced fumbles and is showing why the team invested the seventh overall pick in him back in 2019. Jacksonville’s pass rush has been solid with Allen leading the charge, while 2022 No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker has 2.5 sacks this season for the Jaguars, second on the team.
Allen is their main pass rush threat and he’s someone that Pittsburgh’s offensive line is going to have to key on to help keep Pickett upright. The Jaguars’ secondary is ranked toward the bottom of the league in passing yards allowed, something that WR George Pickens pointed out earlier today in calling them a “hope” defense. Pittsburgh has to take away that hope that the Jacksonville pass rush can get home, and if they do they’ll give QB Kenny Pickett the opportunity to take advantage of Jacksonville’s pass defense.
While Allen might have been a Steelers fan once upon a time, this week they’re the team he hates the most. The Jaguars are coming into their Week Eight matchup hot, as they’ll enter Acrisure Stadium as winners of four in a row. They’re going to look to make it five in a row against the Steelers, and if the Jaguars can improve to 6-2, they’ll solidify themselves as a legitimate threat in the AFC.
Meanwhile, if the Steelers can end their winning streak and find a way to improve to 5-2, they’ll look like less of a fluke and more like a team that can legitimately contend. It’s going to be a good football game, and one where Allen won’t be caring about his allegiance from back when he was a kid.
Watch the full interview with Allen below:
