Josh Allen Injury Draws Attention as Bills QB Appears in Walking Boot, Crutches

Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen turned heads by arriving to Joe Brady’s press conference with crutches and a walking boot.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen drops to throw during the fourth quarter of an AFC Divisional Round playoff game. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills held a press conference on Thursday to officially introduce Joe Brady as their new head coach.

While fans and media members were tuned in to see how Brady conducts himself as a first-time head coach, it was quarterback Josh Allen who turned heads early during the presser.

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Allen, who battled a foot injury late in the season, arrived at the conference wearing a walking boot on his right foot. He was also using crutches for support, although it didn’t appear as though he was leaning heavily on the crutches.

Josh Allen is in a walking boot (right foot) at Joe Brady’s introductory press conference #BillsMafia @BuffaloPlus pic.twitter.com/o2nqPCGt1U

— Dan Fetes (@danfetes) January 29, 2026

The 2024 NFL MVP originally injured his foot during the Bills’ win over the Cleveland Browns late in the season. He missed no time due to the injury, although he played just one snap in the season finale, which allowed him to rest the injury.

He was still banged up during the Bills’ two-game playoff run, but never used the injury as an excuse. Seeing him in the walking boot, however, proves the injury was bothering him more than he let on.

Allen admitted he suffered a broken bone in his foot and had a procedure on Monday. He insists he still could have pushed through had the Bills advanced in the playoffs.

It seems Josh Allen’s foot injury was maintenance more than anything

Said if the Bills had a game this week he would “figure it out” to play

Said it’s a “little painful. It wasn’t a crazy surgery.”

— alex brasky (@alexbrasky) January 29, 2026

Josh Allen was key in Buffalo Bills’ decision to hire Joe Brady

Bills quarterback Josh Allen talks with offensive coordinator Joe Brady during the Buffalo Bills training camp. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

Buffalo made sure to include Allen in their search for a new head coach after firing Sean McDermott. Allen, who has worked with McDermott as his head coach his entire NFL career, will have to play under a new head coach for the first time.

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The Bills wanted to make a change after McDermott failed to defeat the Denver Broncos, extending his playoff struggles, but they didn’t want a complete overhaul. Promoting Brady keeps the offense in tact and will prevent a scenario where Allen has to dedicate time to learning a new offense.

Brady was drawing interest from other teams as well. He interviewed with the Las Vegas Raiders twice and also interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals, and Baltimore Ravens. Had Buffalo not decided to promote Brady, he may have landed a head coaching job elsewhere.

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