Josh Allen was accidentally hit with a helmet to the funny bone on his throwing arm on Sunday in Week 16 when the Buffalo Bills played the New England Patriots. Allen temporarily lost feeling in his hand, which impaired his ability to throw.
Not So Funny Hit Caused Josh Allen To Lose Feeling in His Hand
Allen, who is having an outstanding season for the AFC East front-running Bills, had a very mediocre day against a weak New England defense as a result of the hit. He was a very pedestrian 16 for 29 for 154 yards with one touchdown and one interception — well below the standard Allen has set for himself this season.
“Got a helmet to the funny bone,” Allen said to CBS broadcaster Evan Washburn after the game. “I went to throw the next one, and I had no feeling in the hand. Came out a little wobbly.”
The good news for Buffalo fans and fantasy football managers is that this doesn’t appear to be a significant issue. Allen was seen with trainers on the sideline but didn’t exit to the blue medical tent or locker room.
"Got a helmet to the funny bone. I went to throw the next one, and I had no feeling in the hand. Came out a little wobbly."
– Josh Allen to @EvanWashburn on what happened to his throwing hand pic.twitter.com/bA312VmkU9
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 23, 2024
This injury appears unrelated to his pre-existing one. On Sunday morning, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that Allen has played through a fractured left hand he hurt back in the season opener against the Arizona Cardinals.
Allen is the MVP favorite entering Week 16, and for good reason. The Bills quarterback ranks second in PFN’s QB+ metric for the season (93.2) behind only Lamar Jackson.
Allen’s recent run leading up to Sunday has been particularly impressive. Over the previous four weeks, he ranked first in the league in QB+. His 0.24 EPA/DB and 5.0 TD/INT both rank third in the NFL.
If we break down Allen’s performance into that from a clean pocket and when pressured, he ranks fourth from a clean pocket and third under pressure this season.