To My Firebaugh Community
I’ve been lucky enough to play in some of the biggest stadiums in the world, in front of the biggest crowds, but no place means more to me than Firebaugh, California. It’s my home and where my family built our life. It's where I first learned to throw a football.
I still remember those early mornings on the farm, before school, before practice, before the NFL dream ever felt real. I was out there working with my dad. It wasn’t glamorous, but it taught me everything I needed to know about grit, discipline and the value of hard work. My siblings and I were always side by side, sometimes racing to finish chores, sometimes just trying to stay awake. Those memories, and those bonds, shaped me just as much as the work did.
Firebaugh didn’t have quarterback camps or private trainers. We had heart. We had community. And I wouldn’t trade that for anything.
From the Friday night lights at Firebaugh High to the roar of game days in Buffalo, you’ve stuck with me. Through the grind, the setbacks, and the quiet moments when I wasn’t sure anyone was watching, you were. You cheered for me when I was sending out my own highlight tapes, hoping someone would notice. And you celebrated with me when I was named NFL MVP. That honor belongs to all of us.
That’s why it feels right to share this next chapter with you.
I’m proud to share that I’ve joined the New Balance family, a brand that, like Firebaugh, is built on family, community and authenticity. My parents, the greatest role models I could ask for, built their lives on those principles and raised my siblings and me the same way. So, when New Balance asked me to come on board, it felt like coming home.
Together, we are making a commitment to Firebaugh to help fund its community sports program in the hopes of providing access to sports, regardless of ability to pay, to help young athletes access sports and chase their dreams. Whether you’re a kid just picking up a football for the first time or a high schooler grinding through two-a-days, we’re here for you, cheering you on from afar, from Boston, to Buffalo, to Firebaugh.
Because Firebaugh raised me. And now, it’s my turn to give back.
With Gratitude,
Josh Allen
Firebaugh, California Native.