Josh Allen (NFL.com)
Josh Allen had plenty of reasons to celebrate after leading the Buffalo Bills to a 41-31 win over the Detroit Lions. But the quarterback’s remarkable performance on September 17, 2026, came with a physical struggle that fans couldn’t see. After becoming ill during a game against the New England Patriots in December 2025, Allen told reporters that the experience happens more often than fans might expect.
Allen’s health became a talking point after the game when Sherman revealed what the quarterback had been dealing with before taking the field. Allen’s reported illness before the Lions game also brings attention to his past comments about feeling sick during NFL matchups.
Allen was battling an illness before kickoff, making his five-touchdown display even more striking, according to Amazon Prime analyst Richard Sherman. The former NFL cornerback, now an analyst for Prime Video, said Allen appeared visibly unwell in the hours leading up to the matchup. “You were shivering in the hot tub before the game,” Richard Sherman told Allen after the game. “If they don’t catch it every game, I don’t know,” he later told reporters.
“You’re getting IVs. You don’t want to admit it, but you were having a flu game. “It basically happens every game. If I don’t get enough out pregame, it usually happens at halftime. Buffalo head coach Joe Brady also highlighted the importance of making a strong first impression at the new stadium. The Bills delivered that statement with a decisive offensive showing, while Allen’s performance became one of the night’s biggest talking points.
The Bills quarterback has previously explained that throwing up on the sidelines is not unusual for him, even during regular-season games.