Why Josh Allen Won’t Throw A Brand New Football [VIDEO]
Every professional athlete has their “things” - but is this normal for an NFL quarterback, or is this a quirk specifically belonging exclusively to Josh Allen?
On Monday morning (September 12th) on the Today show, during an interview with Buffalo Bills Director of Equipment Operations Jeffrey Mazurek, an interesting fact came out about quarterback Josh Allen, and how particular he is about the footballs that he throws.
Today host Craig Melvin interviewed several members of the Bills’ equipment staff, and we learned tidbits about the work that goes into the balls Josh Allen uses during practice and games.
Josh Allen Doesn’t Like To Use Footballs That Aren’t Worn-In
A Bills’ equipment employee by the name of Austin revealed to Melvin that “Josh doesn’t like to use (new footballs) straight out of the bag.”
Now, what does that mean? It turns out, that a ton of work goes into the prepping of the footballs before they even go into the all-pro QB’s hands.
First, the top coating of the leather of the ball is brushed off with a coarse brush, Then, mud (yes, actual mud) is rubbed onto the football, and allowed to dry for 24 hours. The mud, according to Austin, helps to break down the leather and make the ball easier to grip.
After a day of waiting, the mud is rubbed off of the ball, and the broken-in football is officially Josh-Allen ready.
“You can’t just have a ball out of the box,” Josh Allen stated later in the segment. “It has to be put through the wringer and tested and tried.”
We know Allen’s amazing arm deserves most of the credit, but let’s give some well-deserved props to all of the work the Buffalo Bills’ equipment crew puts into every small detail that goes into making them the successful team they are (and will be)!
Watch the fascinating video below.