Bills Bundles of Joy: Which NFL QB is 'Baby Josh Allen'?
Other than attempting to share claim of best NFL fan base in the Northeastern United States, the Buffalo Bills and New York Giants have some notable connections.
The most obvious Bills-Giants connection is that of New York coach Brian Daboll, who just won the NFL's Coach of the Year award. He had served as Buffalo's offensive coordinator since 2018 before departing for his first year with the Giants this past season.
A few former Bills and recognizable names for NFL fans frequent New York's roster as well, as running back Matt Breida and receiver Isaiah Hodgins also spent time in Buffalo.
But is there a fourth, more hidden connection?
Okay, so maybe it's not so hidden ... and maybe it's technically not a team connection at all. But Giants quarterback Daniel Jones undeniably shares some play-style traits with Bills star Josh Allen, so much so that the New York signal-caller had a Bills-themed nickname this past season.
Hodgins, who was cut by the Bills in November before being scooped up by the Giants in a season-altering move, revealed the nickname during a radio spot on New York's WFAN660 with Tiki Barber.
"It's funny because a lot of the players used to call Daniel Jones 'Baby Josh Allen' when we were over there," Hodgins said.
Hodgins was a sixth-round draft pick by the Bills in 2020 and had all of his production with the team come in the 38-3 Week 5 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers this past season. He caught just two passes for 33 yards from Allen while backup quarterback Case Keenum connected with Hodgins for eight yards on two catches in garbage time of that game.
But even though much of his Bills career was spent on the sidelines and on the practice squad, Hodgins got a real feel for the Jones-Allen comparisons while in Buffalo, something he got to see for himself once Jones became his new quarterback.
"That was kind of like the joke ... when it was my rookie year, (the Bills) were like 'Hey, you know who's gonna be Josh in a couple years?'" Hodgins said.
Jones was the answer to that question, even among those in Buffalo.
"I can definitely see it," Hodgins said. "Just the way that he can use his legs and ... you saw that more as the season had gone on. Just how comfortable he was throwing on the run and not afraid to use his legs."
Jones had flashed his mobility in seasons before, but took it to a whole new level this year. And in the process, he led the Giants to their first playoff win since 2011. He finished the season fifth among quarterbacks in rushing yards (708), fourth in rushing attempts (120), and, fittingly, tied with Allen for the third-most rushing touchdowns (seven) at the position.
Jones did this all while using his similarly-built 6-5, 230-pound frame to fight for contact when necessary or use his underrated strides to gain important yardage.
As for Hodgins, he found his young career revitalized in New York, finishing his first year with the Giants (including playoffs) with 42 catches for 459 yards and five touchdowns. This included a career-defining playoff performance, which saw Hodgins total eight catches for 105 yards and a score in the 31-24 NFC Wild Card win over the Minnesota Vikings.
He may have had his time with Allen come to a quicker end than expected, but at least Hodgins seemed to get the next-closest thing with Jones in what turned out to be a career-best year for the Giants duo.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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