Jacksonville Jaguars Pro Bowl pass-rusher Josh Allen has changed his name. The former Abbeville High School standout announced on Tuesday that he would be Joshua Hines-Allen going forward, with Hines-Allen on his jersey.

“My last name is changed, but I am still that person,” Hines-Allen said. “And I’m going to continue to play like it and play even better.”

Allen attributed the change to family.

“I’ve always been a Hines, and legacy is forever,” Hines-Allen said. “Family is important to me because when you come from a rich history of athletic people in your family, and myself being the youngest one, to go to all my sisters’ games, to know what my uncles did in college and in the NBA, it just means something a little bit more. It was almost destined for me to follow in their footsteps.”

One of his sisters, Myisha Hines-Allen, plays in the WNBA with the Washington Mystics, and two other sisters played college basketball. The pass-rusher’s uncle Greg Hines was chosen by the Golden State Warriors in the 1983 NBA Draft.

“It’s going to be a surreal moment the first time I get my name announced,” Joshua Hines-Allen said. “… Growing up, having my sisters run out the tunnel, intros, lights going dark – ‘Hines-Allen.’ Everybody’s watching them, and I just thought that was the coolest thing.”

Hines-Allen plans to hold a jersey exchange in Jacksonville for fans who own his “Allen 41” jersey.

Before becoming a two-time Pro Bowler and a unanimous All-American at Kentucky, Hines-Allen was an All-State wide receiver for Abbeville High School in 2013. He attended Abbeville in the ninth, 10th and 11th grades while living with his aunt and uncle before returning to his home state of New Jersey for his senior year.

Allen joined Jacksonville as the seventh selection in the 2019 NFL Draft. He went to the Pro Bowl as a rookie, when he registered 10.5 sacks. In the three seasons between his rookie year and his second Pro Bowl selection in 2023, Allen had 17 sacks.

In 2023, Hines-Allen finished tied for second in the NFL with 17.5 sacks to set a franchise single-season record. He also recorded 66 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 33 quarterback hits, one interception and two forced fumbles last season.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at@AMarkG1.