Retired Viking Hurdled by Bills’ Rookie Josh Allen Reflects Back on Viral Moment

Longtime NFL linebacker Anthony Barr, who played 10 seasons in the league before retiring last August, recently made some interesting comments regarding the time that the former 2024 NFL MVP quarterback made him look foolish in Minnesota during Allen's rookie season in 2018.

Sep. 23, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen (17) carries the ball during the second quarter of an NFL game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports

Everyone has seen it.

The play is one of Buffalo Bills franchise quarterback Josh Allen’s signature moments in the National Football League.

In fact, some might mention this specific sequence of events that took place on that afternoon back on Sunday, September 23, 2018, in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, to be the defining moment of the now eight-year veteran’s professional career, at least in terms of a singular play, as he now heads into Year Nine looking to finally breakthrough to the Super Bowl.

June 9, 2026; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) throws the ball during mandatory veteran minicamp practice. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

And, yours truly remembers it so vividly because it just so happened to occur the day after my wedding eight years ago . . . and, yes—don’t worry—my wife knows that I remember that evening more fondly (at least I hope so) than this Josh Allen highlight.

But, even still, who could forget the miraculous moment on the field that occurred at U.S. Bank Stadium in the Upper Midwest of the United States during that early-afternoon time slot nearly a decade ago?

Bills’ QB Josh Allen’s Rookie-Year Minneapolis Miracle

The team’s performance as a whole that day was a far cry from the pitiful displays that Buffalo had stacked back-to-back to start the quarterback’s rookie campaign in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens (47-3 loss) and Week 2 against the Los Angeles Chargers, which ended in a 31-20 defeat at home in Allen’s NFL starting debut in Orchard Park, New York.

Sep. 16, 2018; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) gets sacked by Los Angeles Chargers defensive back Derwin James (33) during the first half of an NFL game at New Era Field. | USA TODAY Sports

In Week 3, though, things started to change for the better, and Buffalo’s young quarterback looked more and more comfortable by the minute.

Leading, ironically, 17-0 over the (at the time) 1-0-1 Vikings on the road, Allen had his 0-2 Bills on a heater through the first 12 minutes and 55 seconds of the first quarter that game, which is an outing where they were astonishingly 16.5- to 17-point underdogs depending on the betting site selected.

And, in doing so, the 6-foot-5, 237-pound Firebaugh, California, native proved—that instead of being the laughing stock of the league like everyone had already written him off to be—that he was well on his way toward becoming the top dog in the NFL one day, and his team was on its way to a 27-6 upset victory that fall afternoon.

Sep. 23, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen (17) walks off the field after an NFL game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium during his rookie season | USA TODAY Sports

On 3rd-and-10 from the Bills’ own 35-yard line, the rookie playmaking passer from the University of Wyoming snapped the ball with 2:05 remaining on the clock in that opening quarter.

Immediately, Allen saw an opening in the middle of the field that he liked . . . so, he decided to take the gamble, and the rest is history.

Retired Vikings’ LB Anthony Barr looks back on being hurdled by JA17 . . . fondly?

“He jumped over me, OK? He hurdled me like I was a child. And, he flew through the air Jordan-esque, right? Boom. And, I didn’t even go low, which is the crazy part. Like, I was going for a form tackle. And, I just tackled air: whiffed, fell right on my face,” former Minnesota Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr jokingly recalled on the inaugural episode of his new podcast, Bent Outta Shape, with co-host and fellow former Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks on Wednesday, July 22.

Sep. 23, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Buffalo Bills rookie QB Josh Allen (17) hurdles Minnesota Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr (55) during the first quarter of an NFL game | USA TODAY Sports

“And, I’m like, ‘Hold on. Where did he go?’ He’s . . . he’s still running. And, I think (defensive end) Stephen Weatherly ended up tackling him. I remember this very vividly.

“I will say—on that first possession (of that drive)—we got to third down, (then) we got off the field, and then Linval (Joseph) got a personal foul on Josh Allen—roughing the passer—and that extended the drive. And, then that’s the same drive that he jumped over me. So, I blame Linval: (it’s) Linval’s fault, not my fault. I’m taking no accountability.

“But, I think Josh was also, like, so young (that) he had no . . . he was, like, fearless. He’s just fearless. He’s still fearless. But, like—when you’re such a young player—you don’t think of any of the consequences, and you’re not in tune, I guess, with your surroundings or who you’re playing against to really care. He just played straight off basic instinct, and he hurdled me. 

“And, I will say, I’m happy that it was Josh Allen that did it. If it was Joe Schmo, (then) I couldn’t live with that. But, like, OK it was a future NFL MVP? Like, hey . . . if that’s going to be played forever, whatever. I can live with that.”

Sep. 23, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Buffalo Bills rookie QB Josh Allen (17) looks on at his teammates prior to the start of an NFL game against the Minnesota Vikings | USA TODAY Sports

Allen is easily on track to become future H.O.F. quarterback

Well, that’s good for Barr.

Because given Allen’s current stats and career trajectory—which includes 30,102 passing yards, 4,721 rushing yards, and 299 total touchdowns in the regular season, as well as 4,682 total yards and 38 total touchdowns (passing/rushing) in the playoffs—that clip will likely be circulating around the NFL media landscape for quite some time.

Forever? Maybe not. At least not outside of the Bills Mafia sphere, anyway.

However, I have a hunch that the highlight could make an appearance during Allen’s introduction into the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, one day.

Just a guess . . . so, maybe Barr should get an invite to the ceremony from Buffalo’s larger-than-life quarterback?

I mean, after all, he did help jump start his career on that fateful fall day.

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