Happy belated birthday, Josh Allen.
The Buffalo Bills' Pro Bowl quarterback turned 28 on Tuesday. Along with marking another trip around the sun, Allen's big day served as a milestone marker in illustrating just how historically successful he's already been in his career.
Allen has 220 career touchdowns (167 passing, 53 rushing), which is the most by any player prior to his 28th birthday, per NFL Research.
Most passing and rushing touchdowns before age 28
| Team | Player | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|
| Bills | Josh Allen | 220 |
| Chiefs | Patrick Mahomes | 206 |
| Dolphins | Dan Marino | 200 |
| Panthers | Cam Newton | 184 |
| Colts | Peyton Manning | 176 |
Along with his history-setting nose for the end zone, Allen enters his age-28 season statistically entrenched in the company of Hall of Famers and the game's elite currently.
A look inside the numbers by NFL Research shows just how rarified the air is that Allen has soared to over his first six seasons.
His career counterpart, the Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes has rattled off 231 combined (passing and rushing) TDs before the age of 29, which is a mark that Allen should surpass in the 2024 season barring injury or a massive fall from grace.
Though his dual-threat ability has made him a front-runner historically, his passing acumen stands among the best of the best on its own merit. Allen's aforementioned 167 touchdown passes are tied for third-most in league history prior to turning 28.
Those 167 TD tosses are the same that Hall of Famer Peyton Manning had prior to his 28th birthday and trail only Mahomes (192) and HOFer Dan Marino (196).
His 53 rushing scores are the most for any quarterback before 28, and he stands as the only QB in history to have 150-plus passing TDs and 50-plus rushing TDs before age 28, per NFL Research.
Half a dozen seasons into a sterling career, Allen's accomplishments are abundant. One major knock has been his and the Bills' ability to get to the Super Bowl and bring the franchise its first Lombardi Trophy. It's not for lack of effort or statistical success, though.
Allen has 21 touchdown passes in the postseason, standing as one of just two quarterbacks to surpass 20-plus playoff TD passes before turning 28. The other? Well, that's Mahomes with a staggering a 35. Mahomes, of course, has had a major hand in thwarting Allen and the Bills' postseason ascents.
On the road to his age-28 season, Allen's no doubt aiming for most statistical splendor and that elusive Super Bowl berth. He'll do it with a wide receiver corps that's taken on a whole new look, having lost his top two targets -- Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis.
Can Allen keep up his historic dual-threat scoring success? We shall see in 2024.
