If you watched the Buffalo Bills get bounced from the playoffs by the Denver Broncos yesterday, you probably noticed something. Josh Allen looked human. For a guy often described by his teammates as "Wolverine" or "Superman," he looked like he was dragging. The 33-30 overtime heartbreaker on Saturday was a brutal way for the season to end, but the chatter today isn't just about the turnovers or Bo Nix’s season-ending injury. It’s about why Allen was in the medical tent to begin with just a week ago and how those head injury scares are starting to pile up.
Honestly, the Josh Allen concussion today conversation is a bit of a mess because he actually cleared the protocol. But "clearing" it and being "fine" aren't always the same thing in the NFL.
The Wild Card Scare and the Sunday Reality
Last Sunday against the Jaguars, Allen took a hit that made every person in Western New York hold their breath. It was a third-down run—classic Josh—where he got swarmed, his helmet popped off, and he stayed down. He was whisked into the blue medical tent. Independent neurologists did their thing. CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson eventually gave the "all clear" signal, and he went back in to win that game.
But look at the Divisional Round game yesterday.
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Allen had two fumbles and two interceptions. He looked off. Fans are naturally asking if the lingering effects of that head hit, combined with a "bone issue" in his foot, a jammed throwing finger, and a tweaked left knee, finally caught up to him. He was off the injury report by Thursday, but you don't just "bounce back" from a hit that requires a neurological evaluation in six days without some residual fog.
Why the Protocol is Getting Side-Eyed
The NFL’s concussion protocol is stricter than it used to be. That’s a fact. But when a superstar like Allen is evaluated and released within minutes during a playoff game, people get skeptical. Dr. Jesse Morse and other sports med experts have pointed out before that the adrenaline of a playoff atmosphere can mask symptoms.
It’s a tough spot.
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Allen is a "country boy" who admitted this week that his biggest fear as a kid was missing games. He hasn't missed a start since 2018. That kind of toughness is legendary, but it’s also a liability. During the Broncos game, he was seen rubbing his head and adjusting his helmet frequently. Was it a concussion? The official answer is no. Was it a "heavy head" or a sub-concussive fog? Only Josh knows.
Comparing the Hits
We’ve seen this movie before. Back in 2024, there was a similar controversy where he looked like he was out cold for a second, then came back in using smelling salts. The league always maintains that the "independent" consultants are doing their jobs.
- The Jaguars Hit (Jan 11, 2026): Helmet-to-turf contact. Evaluated and cleared.
- The 2024 Incident: Looked like a "fencing response" to some, but was labeled as "getting the wind knocked out of him."
- The Cumulative Effect: This is what should worry Bills fans. It's not just one big hit; it's the 15-20 smaller ones he takes every week because he refuses to slide.
He finished the Broncos game with 273 yards and a touchdown, but those two fumbles were uncharacteristic. Or maybe they were perfectly characteristic of a guy trying to play through a dozen different physical traumas at once.
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What Happens Now?
The Bills had their exit meetings today at One Bills Drive. Lockers are being cleaned out. It’s a somber Sunday in Buffalo. Allen is scheduled to speak to the media later this week, and you can bet the first question will be about his health. Not just the foot or the finger, but the head.
He’s the reigning MVP for a reason, but the "Superman" act has a shelf life.
If you're a Bills fan or a fantasy manager looking toward next season, the takeaway here is about longevity. The team can't protect Allen from himself. He’s going to keep running. He’s going to keep taking those hits. But as we saw in the altitude of Denver, even the toughest guy in the league can only take so many "cleared" hits before the performance starts to dip.
Next Steps for Monitoring the Situation:
Keep an eye on the post-season medical clearances. Usually, teams will disclose if a player enters the protocol after the season ends once the adrenaline wears off. If Allen shows up on a medical report this week with "concussion-like symptoms," it changes the narrative of that Broncos loss entirely. For now, he’s "healthy" on paper, but the tape from Saturday tells a much more complicated story.