Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen has become the face of the franchise after his incredible development between the 2019 and 2020 seasons, following two rough years to start his career. After failing to cross the 4,000-yard mark in his first two seasons, Allen has yet to dip below that threshold since his breakout season in 2020.
Even with a shuffled supporting cast over the 2024 NFL offseason, Allen picked up right where he left off in 2023, driving Buffalo’s offensive production. With plenty of accolades already under his belt, Allen has eyes on bringing a Lombardi Trophy to Buffalo for the first time in franchise history.
While he has the support of Bills Mafia, Allen also has a close-knit support group from his family, who grew up counting on each other to maintain the family farm. Let’s take a look at who helped raise the second-team All-Pro quarterback.
Who Are Josh Allen’s Parents?
Allen’s parents, Joel and LaVonne, grew up in adjacent towns in California. They eventually met when the two attended California Polytechnic State University. LaVonne majored in merchandising and fashion design, while Joel attempted to get a degree in agribusiness to help support his family’s 3,000-acre farm.
They married on Sept. 17, 1988, and have enjoyed over 30 years of marriage. The couple has four children: Josh, his brother Jason, and two daughters, Nicola and Makenna.
Both of Josh’s parents come from agricultural backgrounds. Joel is a third-generation farmer, and his grandfather settled on California property during the Great Depression after emigrating from Sweden in 1907. Joel’s father and uncles started Allen Brothers Farming before he and his twin brother, Todd, took over the family business. They grow cotton, cantaloupes, and wheat.
LaVonne’s father, Vaughn Von Allman, owned a 3,000-acre farm in the California Central Valley. Her family grew cotton, alfalfa, and cantaloupes. She also used to run a restaurant called “The Farmer’s Daughter” that catered to the early morning farm population and was one of the few businesses in Josh’s hometown of Firebaugh, Calif.
Josh and Jason helped their mother out at the restaurant during their lunch breaks at school, washing dishes and helping get the business back in order before heading back to class. She eventually sold the business to better fit into Josh’s football travel schedule.
Joel and LaVonne Allen Also Have a Sports Background
Josh and Jason were told early on that the only way to get out of farm work was to go to school or practice for a sports team, so the brothers played any sport imaginable to ease their workload. However, they were not the only ones with a passion for sports.
Both Joel and LaVonne were coaches in various sports. Joel coached Pop Warner football and was the president of the swim team and local Cal Ripken baseball organization. Meanwhile, LaVonne coached volleyball and basketball.
However, as their children have grown up, the couple has passed the torch to others to focus more on their children’s careers. After being active parents on the field, they have stepped back to be avid spectators at all of Josh’s games.
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While Allen continues to lead the Bills as the franchise’s cornerstone, he hasn’t forgotten where he came from and the hard work in the fields that got him to where he is today. Josh has invested some of his earnings back into the Allen ranch to diversify their crop offering by adding 1,000 acres of pistachios to the farm.
With an expected value of $2.60 per pound and each acre expected to produce 2,500 pounds of pistachios, Josh has possibly put one of his most significant investments, based on value, back into his family’s business. Not only has he set himself up for his long-term future, but he’s also repaid the challenging work Joel and LaVonne put in to raise him and his siblings by setting up their long-term financial success.