The Jacksonville Jaguars' star defensive end and the Buffalo Bills' star quarterback no longer share the same name.
Jacksonville's Pro Bowler announced Tuesday that he officially changed his name to Joshua Hines-Allen as a tribute to his maternal family.
Hines-Allen's sister, Myisha Hines-Allen, currently plays for the WNBA's Washington Mystics. He had two other sisters who played college basketball (Kyra Hines-Allen, Cheyney University and LaTorri Hines-Allen, Virginia Tech and Towson), as well as an uncle (Greg Hines) drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 1983 and an uncle (Keith Hines) who played college basketball at Montclair State.
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"Legacy is forever, and I'm proud to carry that tradition on the back of my jersey, following in the footsteps of my family, who have donned the Hines-Allen last name with so much pride and joy," Hines-Allen wrote in social media posts.
Hines-Allen will no longer be confused with Josh Allen, the Bills' All-Pro QB who was drafted with the exact same pick (No. 7 overall) one year earlier than the Jags star. The two faced off in a 2021 game, where Hines-Allen became the first player to sack another player with the same name.
In April, Hines-Allen signed a five-year, $150 million contract extension to become one of the league's highest-paid defensive players. He will host a jersey exchange event for fans in Jacksonville this September to help get everyone his updated name on the back.
Hines-Allen is fresh off a career season where he registered a franchise-record 17.5 sacks, which was tied for second in the NFL.
