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Bills backup quarterback Case Keenum recently revealed a hilarious and disturbing tactic used to get teammate Josh Allen to slide more often in NFL games. The passers made a pact after Buffalo’s Week 1 outing against the Rams.
In that season opening matchup, Keenum and fellow reserve Matt Barkley saw a play where they believed Allen needed to protect himself a bit more rather than get an extra yard. They then struck up a proposal for the starting signal caller.
Now, Josh Allen is known for his mobility and his knack for creating plays with his feet when options down the field aren’t available. So far this season, the versatile star has racked up 746 yards and seven scores on the ground. Both marks rank among the tops for NFL quarterbacks.
But with that ability to make something out of nothing, he leaves himself susceptible to taking extra hits from defenders. While he stands 6-5, 240, those hits can take a toll.
So, in order to get Allen on the ground more often, his teammates made a deal. The dues have already been paid.
“I might have incentivized him a little bit if he would slide during a game. It was not a monetarily incentivized thing. It was more something that I would do. Allegedly, I may or may not have told him I would wear only a jockstrap to one of our walkthroughs if he slid in a game feet first with nobody around him.”
During a Week 3 matchup with the Dolphins, Allen slid feet first with no one around. The next week, Keenum was seen sporting nothing but a jockstrap at the team facilities.
Only the quarterback room knew about the agreement, so you can imagine the surprise on the rest of the Bills roster upon seeing their reserve passer strutting around in his skivvies.
An image they probably want burned from their brains.
But hey, it looks like it’s worked. Allen has been able to stay healthy in the 2022 season and he’s got Buffalo on track for a potential Super Bowl appearance. Should that happen, we might look back and thank Case Keenum for keeping Allen on the field.
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