Josh Allen Buffalo Bills 2018 Panini National Treasures Football Holo Gold Rookie Patch Autograph 01/10 #163 PSA 10 | Rookie Card | On-Card Autograph | Player-Worn Patch

By the time the 2018 NFL Draft rolled around, the Buffalo Bills knew they needed a new starting quarterback. The realization came after a disappointing 10-3 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Wild Card round of the 2017 NFL playoffs. While it was Buffalo’s first playoff appearance since 1999, the team recognized that Tyrod Taylor was not the answer at quarterback. Fortunately for the Bills, the 2018 draft class boasted an impressive group of quarterback talent.

Baker Mayfield had just won the Heisman Memorial Trophy award after a stellar season at Oklahoma and was expected to go first overall to the Cleveland Browns. Sam Darnold, as a sophomore, led USC to an 11-2 regular season record and a spot in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. Just a few miles down the road at UCLA, Josh Rosen had surged up draft boards, with some scouts labeling him as “the best passer in the 2018 draft class.” Then there was Josh Allen from the University of Wyoming. Known by many scouts as a "project quarterback.” Allen's dual-threat ability was certainly enticing, however, concerns about his passing, particularly his decision-making and subpar completion percentage, gave some pause.

Most mock drafts had the four quarterbacks going within the first 10 selections. With the 12th pick, the Bills had a decision to make. They knew Mayfield was going first overall and it was likely that Darnold would be taken by the New York Jets with the third pick. That left Allen and Rosen. On draft day, the Bills traded the 12th pick and two second-round picks to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for the 7th pick, positioning themselves to draft their future franchise quarterback. Passing on Rosen, they selected Josh Allen, making him the highest-selected quarterback in Bills history. The decision to move up and take Allen has proved perhaps the best decision in franchise history. Shortly after being drafted, Allen stated he was "going to make [the Bills] look like the smartest people out there." And boy, did he.

Although not initially named starter, Allen was given the reins by the second week of the 2018 season. While the Bills missed the playoffs, there was still plenty to be optimistic about: The team had found their franchise quarterback. In his first season, Allen showed glimpses of what the future would look like, becoming the first quarterback in franchise history to lead the team in both passing and rushing yards in a single season. Despite these flashes of brilliance, Allen was ranked the 32nd-best quarterback by NFL.com, with only Josh Rosen ranked lower than him.

2019 marked a return to the playoffs for the franchise and since then, they have not looked back. In 2020, Allen led the Bills to a 13-3 regular-season record, passing for over 4,500 yards to go along with 37 passing touchdowns and eight rushing touchdowns. He finished second in MVP voting, behind only Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. That same season, Allen secured his first playoff victory, a 27-24 win in the Wild Card round against the Indianapolis Colts, the first franchise playoff win since 1995. In the Divisional round, Allen continued to cruise with a 17-3 win over the Baltimore Ravens and fellow 2018 quarterback draftee Lamar Jackson. The Bills were headed to Arrowhead for a tough AFC Championship matchup against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, where a win would send them to the Super Bowl. Despite a strong effort from Allen both on the ground and in the air, the Bills fell to the Chiefs 38-24. This game marked the beginning of a years-long rivalry, one that continues to this day.

In the Wild Card round of the 2021 season, Allen found himself again part of history. In a dominant 47-17 defeat of division rival New England Patriots, the Bills became the first team in NFL history to score a touchdown on each offensive possession. For the Divisional round, the Bills were headed back to Arrowhead for a rematch with the Chiefs. In one of the most exciting games in recent NFL history, the contest ended in overtime with the Chiefs winning 42-36. Unfortunately, because the Chiefs won the coin toss, elected to receive the ball, and scored on their first possession, Allen never had a chance to possess the ball in overtime. Just a few months later, NFL owners voted to allow both teams to possess the ball in postseason games that go to overtime. In April 2025, NFL owners expanded this rule to regular season games as well, with some fans dubbing it the “Josh Allen rule.” In just his third trip to the playoffs, Allen had a postseason passer rating of 149.0, the highest ever for a quarterback in a single postseason, breaking the previous record held by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana.

While they have not quite cracked the Super Bowl, the Bills are certainly knocking on the door. Allen has led the team to the playoffs for six consecutive seasons, and with one more appearance, he’ll set the franchise record for consecutive playoff appearances. He has also guided the Bills to an AFC East division title in each of the last five seasons, a division once dominated by the Patriots, who have won it 17 times since 2000.

At just 28 years old, Allen ranks third in franchise history for all-time passing yards, behind only Jim Kelly and Joe Ferguson. When it comes to passing touchdowns, he’s even closer, trailing only Kelly. It is safe to say Allen will break both of these records with ease in the coming years, as long as he remains healthy. At the time of writing, he is currently tied for the franchise lead in rushing touchdowns with Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas at 65. It is very likely Allen will become the franchise's all-time leader within the first week of the upcoming season. 

Allen’s 2024 campaign will be remembered for years to come. Allen managed to pass and run Lamar Jackson out of his third NFL MVP award, with Josh finally landing his first MVP. On December 1, 2024, in a 35-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers, Allen became just the second player in 19 years to rush, pass, and receive a touchdown in the same game. His passing touchdown in that game pushed him into sole possession of the total touchdowns franchise record, surpassing Jim Kelly. 2024 cemented Allen’s legacy as an all-time dual-threat quarterback. He became the first player in NFL history with five straight seasons of 40+ total touchdowns and the first quarterback to record 6+ rushing touchdowns in seven consecutive seasons.

On March 9, 2025 Allen extended his stay in Buffalo by signing a six year contract extension worth $330 million. At the time of signing, the $250 million in guaranteed money represented the largest guarantee in NFL contract history.

National Treasures has risen to the height of the hobby since its introduction by Donruss/Playoff in 2006 and has continued to be a fan favorite since Panini purchased Donruss/Playoff in 2009. Since bursting onto the scene, Panini’s National Treasures has been among the top high-end products in the hobby and annually produced some of the best cards on the market. Highly anticipated each year for its release of some of the most highly sought after RPAs on the market, there are few that are more important across all sports.  Outside of the Platinum NFL Shield #1/1, eleven additional parallels can be found as part of the rookie patch autographs subset, normally limited to 99: Green Jersey Number #/99 or less, Holo Silver #/25, FOTL Stars & Stripes #/15, Midnight #/20, Holo Gold #/10, Black #/5, Red #1/1, FOTL Stars and Stripes Premium #/3, Red Brand Logo #, Red Laundry Tag #1/1, and Printing Plates #1/1.

This card, limited to only 10 copies, features an on-card autograph, and has been authenticated and deemed to be in Gem Mint condition, receiving a grade of 10 from Professional Sports Authenticators (PSA). Only one other has achieved this incredible designation.

The PSA certificate number for this card is: 44225337.

Going Deeper - Josh Allen

Overlooked and Underrated

Hailing from Firebaugh, California, a town of less than 9,000 known for its agricultural roots, you would not expect such a place to produce one of the game’s best current quarterbacks. Growing up, Josh Allen spent countless hours each summer on the near 3,000-acre family farm in blistering 100-degree heat. Allen’s parents, Joel and Lavonne, grew various crops, including cotton, wheat, and cantaloupes. In high school, Josh was part of the Future Farmers of America local chapter, having received various awards over the years including being ranked top four within the nation in diversified crop production. Time spent working closely with his father on the farm certainly shaped his unmatched work ethic and dedication, which has allowed him to compete with the best of the best in the NFL.

Josh was a true multi-sport athlete, competing in baseball, basketball, swimming, and of course, football. Before becoming an MVP winner, Allen was a young, inexperienced quarterback in high school who was often overlooked due to the competition he faced—or lack thereof. It was not until his junior year that he was named the starting quarterback for Firebaugh High School. Aside from his individual statistics, Allen did not have much to speak for in terms of major accomplishments while leading the Firebaugh varsity football team for two years. As his senior year came to a close, Allen remained a zero-star recruit without a single offer from an FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) school. Allen received a walk-on opportunity from San Diego State, though it came with no guarantee of playing time. Josh knew he had the tools to succeed and decided to look elsewhere.

With no offers on the table, Allen opted to attend nearby Reedley Junior College. He saw this as an opportunity to face stiffer competition and boost his stock in hopes of one day playing at Bulldog Stadium, now known as Valley Children’s Stadium, home of the Fresno State Bulldogs. While in high school, Allen attended multiple Fresno State camps but, for whatever reason, never caught the attention of their coaching staff. In his lone season at Reedley, Allen discovered his identity as a dual-threat quarterback. In the fourth game of the season, Allen erupted for four rushing touchdowns while also passing for one in a commanding victory. By the time the season finished, Allen had passed for more than 2,000 yards with 26 touchdowns while only throwing five interceptions. On the ground, he ran for over 600 yards with 10 rushing touchdowns. Both Allen and Reedley’s coaches believed this success would garner interest from Fresno State and others; however, that was not the case. 

This did not deter Allen. He soon began to email nearly every coach in FBS with the following script:

“Hello coach, my name is Josh Allen and I am a quarterback at Reedley JC out of California.

I stand at 6'5" 210 Ibs and am a full qualifier, and feel like I would be a great fit in your offensive scheme! Please have a look at my hudl http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4291509/highlights

/181802376

Please get back to me at any convenience! 

Thank you”

Unfortunately, Allen only received offers from two schools: Eastern Michigan University and the University of Wyoming. After learning that Allen had visited Wyoming, Eastern Michigan rescinded its offer. During a visit to the Allen family farm, University of Wyoming Head Coach Craig Bohl told Allen’s father, “We went all around the country and there's only one quarterback we want, and that's your son. He's going to be the face of our program.” Despite receiving an offer from Bohl, Allen mounted one last-ditch effort to make his way to Fresno State. He reached out to a coach, questioning why the program had recently committed to a quarterback who was much shorter than him. With no luck, Allen was headed to Wyoming.

In just his second game, and first FBS career start, Allen suffered a broken collarbone. The injury sidelined him for the rest of the season. Due to the nature and timing of the injury, Allen qualified for a medical redshirt, allowing him to preserve his college eligibility. Faced with yet another obstacle, Josh did not give up on his goal. By the next season, Allen had been named the starter and was ready to lead the Cowboys to success. Allen showed glimpses of promise, but the team finished with an 8-6 record and ended the season with a loss in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl against Brigham Young University, 24-21.

Prior to the 2017 season, Allen received an invitation to attend the prestigious Manning Passing Academy. This gave Allen the chance to learn from Archie Manning and his two Super Bowl-winning sons, Eli and Peyton. Allen took his lessons into the 2017 season, leading Wyoming to an improved 8-4 regular season record. When bowl season rolled around, the Wyoming Cowboys were set to face off against the Central Michigan Chippewas in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Allen put on a stellar performance, completing 11 of 19 passes for 154 yards and three touchdowns in a commanding 37-14 win.

Josh Allen had made it. He was now officially on the radar of all 32 NFL teams and was a clear future first-round draft pick. The kid from small-town Firebaugh, CA, had overcome adversity when he was not given a single offer out of high school. When given an opportunity at the JUCO level, he excelled. When others turned him down, he remained persistent in his search for an opportunity with an FBS school. When awarded the starting position at Wyoming, he showed why he deserved it. Josh Allen had proved everyone wrong. The zero-star recruit turned NFL MVP.