Getty Bills quarterback Josh Allen at Gillette Stadium on October 22, 2023.
Josh Allen came into Thursday’s game looking to get the Buffalo Bills back on track, but instead sparked a viral debate about the famous person he called out in a first-quarter audible.
In the team’s October 26 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Allen changed a play at the line of scrimmage by calling out the name of a famous person — though exactly who he called out became a matter of debate. Some fans heard singer and famous NFL girlfriend Taylor Swift, while others heard former NBA sharpshooter J.R. Smith.
Josh Allen’s Viral Call
Allen called the play with close to nine and a half minutes remaining in the second quarter and the Bills driving for what would be the tie-breaking field goal. After checking the defense, Allen called a name at the line of scrimmage in an apparent audible.
That is where the debate started. Some fans heard Allen call out Swift’s name, while others swore it was J.R. Smith. The Bills quickly leaned into the viral debate, sharing a clip of the video and challenging fans to see which name they heard him call.
Taylor Swift or J.R. Smith? 🤔
📺: @NFLonPrime
“Is he not saying JR Smith??” a fan wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Am I losing my mind?! I still hear J.R. Smith,” wrote Bills reporter Ryan Talbot on X.
Some fans were frustrated at the apparent reference to Swift, who has gotten plenty of spotlight for her appearances at Chiefs games this season to support Kelce.
Josh Allen’s Other Famous Audible
Later in the second quarter, Allen had another notable audible on what turned out to be a touchdown drive. Approaching the line, Allen called out “LeBron James” — an audible that the team has used in the past.
As Talbot noted, the “LeBron James” call gave more evidence that the earlier audible was referencing Smith, his Cleveland Cavaliers teammate.
“Back to LeBron James audible. This makes me believe it was definitely J.R. Smith earlier,” Talbot shared on X.
Allen also used the “LeBron James” audible in the team’s season-opening game against the New York Jets. Allen ended up throwing the ball away on play after making the audible, and the Los Angeles Lakers star was left wondering what the play might have been. James took to X to share a message about the call-out from Allen, saying he was curious about what the Bills quarterback could have been calling.
“I wonder what that ‘LeBron James’ audible Josh Allen yelled out meant,” James wrote on X, adding “LOL.”
Allen has used some colorful audibles in the past. In the team’s season opener against the Los Angeles Rams in 2022, he was heard yelling “blue cheese” before a play.
Thursday’s game is a critical chance for the Bills to turn around their fortunes after a difficult three-game stretch that included losses to the Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots and a win over the New York Giants that required a goal-line stand as time expired. The Bills came into the game against the Bucs at 4-3, just behind the 5-2 Miami Dolphins in the AFC East.