The NFL world will no longer deal with Josh Allen confusion.
The Jacksonville Jaguars star pass rusher announced Tuesday that he's officially changed his name to Joshua Hines-Allen and will wear Hines-Allen on the back of his No. 41 jersey.
The move is a tribute to Joshua's maternal family and others who donned the Hines-Allen jersey.
"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," Hines-Allen said. "My last name has been changed, but I'm still that person. And I will continue to play like it, play even better."
One of the edge rusher's sisters, Myisha Hines-Allen, plays for the WNBA's Washington Mystics. Two other sisters, Kyra Hines-Allen and LaTorri Hines-Allen, played college basketball. Uncle Gregory Hines is in the Hampton University Athletics Hall of Fame and was drafted by the Golden State Warriors in the fifth round of the 1983 NBA draft. Uncle Keith Hines played basketball at Montclair State.
In 2021, when the Jags played the Buffalo Bills, the Jacksonville edge rusher sacked quarterback Josh Allen, becoming the first player to sack a quarterback with the same name. With the Bills and Jaguars slated to play in Week 3 this season, a similar instance could have been on the horizon before Tuesday's name change.
In April, the Jaguars inked Hines-Allen to a new five-year, $150 million contract, making him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL.
Hines-Allen will host a September jersey exchange event in Jacksonville for fans who own his "Allen 41" jersey.
