How Josh Allen, John Harbaugh bonded at The Masters
The Masters is a tradition unlike any other and to Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh that has something to do with being surprised at who you’ll run into there.
Earlier this week, Harbaugh was recalling the 2019 golf major and how he actually ran into two familiar quarterback faces at the event: Josh Allen and Sam Darnold.
Harbaugh admitted that he actually… didn’t realize who they were at first…
“We ran into each other at the Masters, he was with Sam Darnold. It was funny because I also didn’t recognize him, the two guys, because they just look like a couple of young guys, it was like, you know, these guys are just so young and I’m getting so darn old,” Harbaugh said with a laugh.
But things between Allen and Ravens weren’t always so… positive.
Allen’s first ever game in the NFL actually came against Baltimore (11-5). Taking over for Nathan Peterman at the end of a blowout, Allen was knocked out of bounds and took a shot from Ravens defender Matt Judon. It caused a bit of a scuffle along the Baltimore sideline and the Bills quarterback didn’t back down from Judon or anyone… even from Harbaugh.
Incredible escape to get away from Suggs, followed by the sideline collision & showdown between Josh Allen and linebacker Matt Judon.
Allen: 6'5" 237 lbs
Judon: 6'3" 261 lbs#Bills #Ravens pic.twitter.com/ksQMwCrkk4— Bills QB Watch (@BillsQBwatch) September 14, 2018
Reflecting back, Harbaugh recalled telling Allen to get back in the huddle at the time. But since then, including while at The Masters, the QB and opposing coach have since buried the hatchet. In fact, Harbaugh even looks back and says he loved what Allen had done.
“We had a lot of laughs and talked for a little while,” Harbaugh said about running into to Allen at Augusta. “I told him I just loved on the sideline that he was over there, he’s running hard, he looks like a fullback out there running, got smashed on the sideline, he came up jawing and talking and shoving and pushing and… rookie quarterback? I was like ‘Man, I love this guy, this is great.
“I really respect him, I really like him, too.”
Allen also brought up the little exchange this week. He also explained how there’s no beef, adding that Harbaugh is a coach he respects a lot. Reflecting back, the quarterback even took a bit of the blame for what happened.
“I got into a little scuffle on the sideline and it was my rookie year. I got up and I started chirping at them,” Allen said.
He also added that he’s not the same player that he was then as well. Things are different now.
“I’ve changed a lot since then, my mannerisms and my temper is a little better than it was back in the day. I play a little differently now, so, yeah, they’ve helped me get to where I am,” Allen said.
Nothing like a day on the links to make everyone get along.
