Josh Allen once threw a football so hard, it bruised Gabriel Davis’ hand and injured his thumb, according to the Buffalo Bills wide receiver receiver himself.
In a recent interview, Davis shares an incredible story that illustrates Allen’s arm strength. It was shared by the Twitter account, “Buffalo Fanatics.”
Davis recalls a route he ran in Buffalo’s game against the Tennessee Titans on the memorable Tuesday Night Football game back on Oct. 13. The rookie says he was coming off the line and Allen rifled the ball off his back foot. It was like a missile coming in.
“I went to go for the ball, and after that I felt nothing in my whole hand,” Davis said. “My whole hand was bruised, my thumb was messed up. That was the fastest ball I’ve tried to catch before.”
While it’s impossible to determine the exact play, one Twitter user surfaced a clip of a pass intended for Davis that certainly seems like it left a mark.
Davis came on strong in the second half of 2020, catching 16 passes and scoring four touchdowns over the final six weeks. The fourth round selection out of the University of Central Florida in 2020 appears to be a prime candidate to break out in 2021.
“Josh has a really strong arm, but he has really great touch,” Davis said. “It feels good coming fast, too. You’re not even thinking about it. It’s just in your hands and you’re ready to go.”
Allen is blessed with a cannon-like arm, but as he’s learned, playing quarterback in the NFL is about more than just possessing the physical tools. It’s about touch and decision making. That’s why, perhaps, the most significant improvement to his game is the lack of interceptions.
The Bills want Allen to bruise the hands of his own receivers, and not the opposing team’s cornerbacks and safeties.
