football
MONTCLAIR FOOTBALL’S
SECRET
WEAPON
MHS grad Josh Allen is poised for NFL stardom
as a Jacksonville Jaguar
WRITTEN BY ART STAPLETON
DEFINING MOMENT Josh Allen poses with his son Wesley and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell
after being chosen seventh overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first round of the 2019 NFL
Draft in April 2019; (Opposite page) Allen on the tackle while playing for Montclair High School.
M
ontclair High School football coach John Fiore essentially
begged college recruiters to trust him.
He believed in Josh Allen, that one day he would play
on Sundays, and so he did whatever he could to convince
potential suitors to take a chance on the kid who led the
entire state of New Jersey with 22 sacks as a senior in 2014.
No one would listen.
Not until the University of Kentucky jumped in at the 11 th hour to come in
over the top of Monmouth University did Allen even receive a scholarship offer
from a Football Bowl Subdivision school, the top level of college football.
Fast forward to this past April and Fiore had the chance to embrace his own
“told you so” story, when Allen heard his name called and was picked No. 7
overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the NFL Draft.
MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE BACK TO SCHOOL 2019
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