In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold is self-quarantining in Orange Couty with two fellow throwers.
The idea of two AFC East quarterbacks in relatively close quarters sounds like an intriguing sitcom concept. For Sam Darnold and Josh Allen, it’s a new reality.
According to a report from Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Darnold is currently stationed in Orange County in Southern California, self-quarantining in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Joining the New York Jets quarterback is his Western New York counterpart Josh Allen, as well as new Washington Redskins thrower Kyle Allen.
Breer’s report states that Darnold and the unrelated Allens had been working out in SoCal since the Super Bowl. The recommendations of self-quarantine in the wake of the outbreak has them currently working together in Orange County. Darnold is living in a house he recently purchased, while Josh and Kyle Allen live with their significant others in a separate house. The group is training under former UTEP and NFL quarterback Jordan Palmer.
“This is really how we lived anyway,†Kyle Allen told Breer. “It’s just 24/7 now. It’s an interesting time. You talk to some people, and they’ll say the football part of it is similar to the (2011) lockout year, we might have nothing until camp. And maybe we’ll look around the league in August, and there’ll be some teams that took advantage of the time, and some teams that didn’t. That’s the most interesting part.”
The passing trio’s days mostly consist of throwing on the nearby beach and working out in the garage of a friend of their trainer. While it’s early to speculate on the status of the upcoming NFL season, offseason workouts are likely to be delayed or canceled outright. The situation is particularly tough on Kyle Allen, who was traded to Washington from Carolina earlier this week. He and Josh Allen’s lease on their California home expires this week, but Kyle Allen isn’t sure when he’ll be able to get in the Redskins’ Virginia territory due to travel concerns left in COVID-19’s devastating wake. Kyle Allen remarked that rooming with Darnold could be an option.
Darnold’s career with probably be closely linked with Josh Allen’s for years to come. The pair each went to AFC East rivals during the 2018 draft and will now compete to see who can unseat the New England Patriots from the divisional throne. They’ve faced off against each other twice so far, with Darnold taking a December 2018 meeting in Buffalo. Allen opened last season with a win over Darnold and the Jets at MetLife Stadium en route a wild-card playoff berth.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags