Josh Allen showed up to Joe Brady’s introductory press conference on crutches and in a walking boot - and naturally, Bills fans took notice. The franchise quarterback, who’s been the face of Buffalo’s resurgence and hasn’t missed a start since his rookie year, is now recovering from surgery on his right foot. While the Bills don’t take the field again for another seven months, Allen’s presence in a boot raised questions about his health heading into the offseason.
Let’s break down what we know - and what it means for Allen and the Bills moving forward.
What happened to Josh Allen’s foot?
Allen revealed after the press conference that he had surgery to repair a broken fifth metatarsal in his right foot - that’s the long bone on the outside of the foot that connects to the pinky toe. It’s a common injury for athletes, and it’s painful enough to make even a quarterback known for his toughness feel it “throughout the weeks,” as Allen put it.
The injury wasn’t new. According to Allen, it was an older issue that flared back up during the Bills’ Week 16 matchup against the Browns. Despite the setback, he stayed in the game after X-rays came back negative and didn’t miss a start the rest of the season - including the Wild Card win over the Jaguars and the Divisional Round loss in Denver.
Still, the pain lingered, and after the season ended, Allen had the foot evaluated again. That led to a surgical procedure performed in Birmingham earlier this week, confirmed by general manager Brandon Beane.
How serious is the injury?
In terms of long-term concern, this doesn’t appear to be a major red flag. Fifth metatarsal fractures can vary in severity, but given Allen was able to play through it and only underwent surgery after the season, this seems more like a cleanup job than a crisis.
Beane had hinted earlier this month that surgery might be on the table, and now that it’s done, the timeline looks manageable. He said Allen isn’t expected to miss OTAs in May - and that’s key. With more than three months to recover before organized team activities begin, the Bills are optimistic their star quarterback will be back on the field well ahead of training camp.
Why this matters for Buffalo
Let’s be honest - anytime your franchise quarterback is in a walking boot, it’s going to spark concern. But in this case, the Bills seem to be getting ahead of the issue. Allen didn’t miss time during the season, even while dealing with the injury, and now he’s taking care of it with plenty of offseason runway.
This also speaks to Allen’s toughness. Playing through a broken bone in his foot - especially one that affects planting, cutting, and pushing off - is no small feat. And yet, he still managed to lead the Bills into the playoffs and nearly pull off a comeback in the Divisional Round.
The bigger picture here is that Buffalo is entering a new chapter with Joe Brady as head coach, and having a healthy Allen under center is the foundation of whatever comes next. With the surgery behind him and rehab underway, all signs point to Allen being ready to roll when it matters most.
So yes, the walking boot caught some attention. But in the grand scheme, it looks like a temporary setback - not a long-term concern. And if we’ve learned anything about Josh Allen over the years, it’s that betting against him bouncing back is never a smart move.