In the heart of Bills Mafia territory, where table-smashing is an art form and ‘Shout’ echoes through the streets, Josh Allen stands as the chosen one. Much like Bill Murray in ‘Groundhog Day’, Allen finds himself in a loop of intense scrutiny and adoration. But he’s not alone in this NFL time warp. Up in Titletown, Aaron Rodgers wrote the playbook on being a small-market superstar quarterback.

Colin Cowherd, always ready to dig deep, recently tackled this tale of two cities on ‘The Herd’. He asked Bills’ offensive tackle Dion Dawkins about Allen’s life in Buffalo: “For Josh Allen to be in Buffalo, it’s like far for Aaron Rogers in Green Bay. Do you ever think he feels a bit overwhelmed, like can’t go to the grocery store kind of thing?” Dawkins’ response was as revealing as a no-huddle offense: “He doesn’t. Josh doesn’t, you know… he stays away out of respect of the little bit of time that he has ’cause he spends all day at the facility.”   

This peek into Allen’s Buffalo bubble mirrors Rodgers’ Green Bay experience. Both quarterbacks have become larger-than-life figures in their football-obsessed towns. Allen, with his rocket arm and bulldozer running style, has racked up 22,703 passing yards and 167 touchdowns in just six seasons. He’s chasing the legacy of Rodgers, who’s amassed a staggering 59,055 yards and 475 touchdowns over 19 years.

But numbers only tell part of the story. Allen has been a long-time fan of Rodgers, admitting via the Ringer back in 2023, “I’ve just been such a fan of his since I was a little kid. Having his jerseys and trying to emulate what he does on the football field.” This admiration has blossomed into a friendship, with Allen revealing, “I’ve gotten to know Aaron a little bit over the years, and I would consider us very close.” Their bond even extends to their communication style, with Allen quipping, “I don’t really call him, I FaceTime him. He usually answers, which is a big plus.”

However, life as a franchise QB isn’t all touchdowns and high-fives. Dawkins painted a vivid picture of Allen’s challenges: “Josh is at the highest of the highest like mobs will really mob and it’s like a real mob.” This intense fan fervor echoes the Packers’ faithful devotion to Rodgers, who became Green Bay’s modern-day Bart Starr.

Josh Allen’s leadership journey in Rodgers’ footsteps

As Allen navigates the Buffalo winters and the heat of expectations, he’s crafting a leadership style that would make Rodgers proud. Dawkins observed, “Josh is like one of those guys that will do what it takes at that moment and uh, he’s definitely a barker when that time comes.”

This assertiveness brings to mind Rodgers’ famous ‘run the table’ declaration in 2016; which ignited a six-game winning streak and a playoff berth for the Packers. Moreover, Allen’s clutch performances, like his jaw-dropping plays in the 2021 divisional round against the Chiefs, have cemented his status as Buffalo’s field general.

Allen’s leadership isn’t just about big plays. He’s learning to tailor his approach, as Dawkins mentioned, “You have to learn what type of bark to use for which type of player.” This mirrors Rodgers’ method of connecting with teammates, famously remembering details like rookies’ birthdays.

As Allen continues to write his NFL story, he’s carrying forward lessons from Rodgers’ playbook. From FaceTime chats to MVP-caliber performances, the connection between these two quarterbacks is shaping the future of the league. In Buffalo, just as Rodgers did in Green Bay, Allen is proving that small-market teams can dream as big as any table-smashing Bills fan.