What happened to Josh Allen? Bills QB allowed to play after apparent head injury

Josh Allen didn't have his finest day in the Buffalo Bills' 23-20 Week 5 loss to the Houston Texans, but many wondered whether he should be playing at all by the end of it.

Allen appeared to suffer a head injury in the fourth quarter after he was taken down following an incompletion on third-and-8. His head bounced on the turf hard, and he remained down before receiving medical assistance on the field.

Allen was eventually able to leave the field under his own power and eventually returned to the field. However, many questioned the NFL's concussion protocol when the 28-year-old came out to lead the Bills five plays after his injury occurred.

Here's what to know about what happened to Allen and what he said about it after the game.

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What happened to Josh Allen?

Allen suffered an injury during the fourth quarter of the Bills vs. Texans game in Week 5 of the 2024 NFL season. His head slammed into the ground while he was being tackled on a third-down pass, and he appeared to be in pain after the play.

Allen was visited by the Bills medical staff on the field before going to the sideline under his own power. He went straight to the blue medical tent for further examination.

Allen revealed during a postgame news conference that he was evaluated for several injuries while in the tent. That included a potential head injury.

"[I took] a big shot to the chest and rolled my ankle there," Allen explained. "They flagged me for hitting my head but felt good enough to go back in the game."

Allen missed just one snap as a result of his injury. Backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky came onto the field after the Bills recovered a C.J. Stroud fumble and handed the ball to running back James Cook.

Allen played five snaps after returning to the game. He failed to complete a pass on five attempts but didn't appear to be any worse for wear because of his injuries.

What is the NFL's concussion protocol?

Naturally, Allen's quick return to the game had many fans questioning the procedures involved in the league's concussion protocol.

What does the league's concussion protocol entail? According to the NFL, a player is placed into concussion protocol if:

• The player exhibits or reports symptoms or signs suggestive of a concussion or stinger (a nerve pinch injury).

• The team Athletic Trainer, booth ATC spotter, team Physician, NFL game official, coach, teammate, sideline Unaffiliated Neurotrauma Consultant (UNC) or booth UNC initiates the protocol.

It isn't clear which party initiated Allen's check. But based on his account, it appears he was checked for a concussion and cleared.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Josh Allen checked for concussion, allowed to play vs. Texans