Josh Allen tied Jim Kelly’s franchise record for career touchdown passes on Sunday, and he pulled it off in the most unbelievable way possible: a backhanded shovel pass to wide receiver Keon Coleman. That’s right, a backhanded shovel pass. Who even thinks of that? This dude just continues to rewrite the playbook!
Allen came into Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders needing two scores to match Kelly’s 258 career combined passing touchdowns. The Bills battled it out in Vegas, eventually snagging a 33-30 win, and by the final buzzer, Allen was standing right there with Kelly at the top of the franchise list. His first touchdown of the day, career score number 257, came in the second quarter when he hit Khalil Shakir on a nine-yard pass. That got him within one, and you just knew something special was coming.
The Play That Made History
Then, in the third quarter, the moment we’ll all be talking about. Allen faced a 3rd & 8 from the Raiders’ 12-yard line, with defenders swarming him. What does he do? Spun away from the pressure, saw his running lanes blocked, and then, completely out of nowhere, flipped an absolutely unreal backhanded shovel pass to Coleman in the end zone. The 12-yard touchdown gave Buffalo a 23-13 lead with 6:22 left in the third, and more importantly, it was career passing touchdown number 258, officially tying the legendary Jim Kelly. Seriously, you have to see the replay of that one; it was pure Josh Allen magic.
Comparing the Greats
It’s wild to think about Allen already being at this level. Kelly played 11 seasons, while Allen is only in his ninth. You could argue the season is longer now, sure, but when you look at games played, Allen’s pace is just insane. Kelly played 160 regular season and 17 postseason games in his 11 seasons. Allen? He’s at 134 regular season games and 15 postseason appearances. That’s 28 fewer games to reach the same combined touchdown total! Kelly still holds the regular-season passing touchdown record with 237, while Allen sits at 229. But honestly? It’s pretty doubtful that regular-season record will last the rest of the 2026 NFL season. Allen is coming for it, and it feels like a certainty. Kelly, who led the Bills to their only Super Bowl appearances, is an absolute legend, and Allen tying this record proves he’s firmly in that conversation himself.
What’s next for Josh Allen? He’s clearly not just trying to tie records; he’s looking to smash them. With the regular season record likely to fall soon, it’s going to be a wild ride watching him continue to cement his place as one of the all-time greats.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Buffalo Rumblings.
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