Josh Allen Leaves Field After Facial Injury, Returns with Nose Plug in Bills' Game at MetLife
Reigning NFL MVP taken to sideline after first-quarter collision; team had not confirmed whether his nose was broken.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was taken to the sideline and treated by team medics after sustaining a facial injury in the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
The play occurred as Allen attempted to run for a first down in his own territory. He was tackled by Jets defender Jowon Briggs and his face made contact with teammate O'Cyrus Torrence as he went to the ground. Allen rose to his feet but immediately ran to the sideline and was replaced by Mitch Trubisky.
CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson said Allen "came out holding underneath his nose and was bleeding profusely." Wolfson added that "a team of doctors surrounded him trying to quell the bleeding" and that medical staff inserted cotton into a nostril to control the flow. The Bills had not confirmed whether Allen suffered a broken nose.
Allen missed only a few plays and returned to the game wearing a plug in his nostril to stop further bleeding. At that point, Buffalo led the Jets 10-0.
Commentary and social media reacted quickly to the incident. Some viewers and fans on social platforms speculated that Allen's nose was broken, while broadcasts raised concerns about the severity of the injury. Former players and analysts noted the visual severity of the contact but no official diagnosis has been released by the Bills.
Allen, the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player, is a central figure in Buffalo’s offense and a key reason the team is regarded among Super Bowl contenders this season. The injury occurred early in the contest and prompted immediate attention from medical staff on the field and the sideline.
Trubisky served as the temporary replacement while medical personnel attended to Allen. The sequence drew attention for the speed of the response and the visual of heavy bleeding, but Allen’s return to play later in the first quarter indicated the team was able to stabilize the injury sufficiently for him to continue.
The Bills and team medical staff were expected to provide further updates on Allen’s condition after the game and through official team channels. The incident will likely be monitored in postgame reports and any official injury assessments released in the hours following the contest.