The NFL is facing renewed scrutiny as neuroscientist Chris Nowinski has called for an investigation into an apparent head injury suffered by Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen during Sunday’s loss to the Houston Texans. The controversy centers around how the injury was handled, with Nowinski criticizing the decision to allow Allen back onto the field after a hard tackle in the fourth quarter left the QB motionless on the turf.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott told reporters that Allen “was cleared and he went back in the game” after being assessed by the team’s medical staff for concussion, chest, and ankle injuries. However, the incident is raising serious concerns about whether proper protocols were followed. When Allen’s head struck the ground, his arm initially attempted to shield him, but the impact left him limp—a telltale sign, according to Nowinski, that the QB lost consciousness briefly. Teammates had to roll Allen over before he was directed to the sideline medical tent for further evaluation.
Nowinski, the co-founder of the Concussion Legacy Foundation and a prominent advocate for athlete safety, told CNN’s Brianna Keilar and Boris Sanchez, “The more I watch this video, the more I’m troubled about what happened.” He highlighted the concerning moment when Allen’s head violently bounced off the ground, causing his arm to go limp and his wrist to catch awkwardly—a sign, Nowinski suggests, that the quarterback was not fully conscious. “I really do think he was unconscious there for a moment after that hit … Ethically, the idea that he was trying to be a hero and no one told him: ‘Hey dude, you were knocked out, your teammates had to roll you over’ really makes you wonder what happened here, and this does need to be investigated.”
The controversy only deepened when Allen emerged from the medical tent and appeared to be given smelling salts—a method used to help players feel more alert. For Nowinski, this was a troubling sign. “The optics of being handed smelling salts walking out of that tent is an absolute disaster and should not happen,” he stated, emphasizing that the presence of smelling salts near the concussion evaluation area was “terrible” and should prompt a rule change to prevent it from happening again.
Despite Nowinski’s concerns, McDermott confirmed that Allen would not start the week in the concussion protocol, raising further questions about the thoroughness of the evaluation process. The Bills’ handling of Allen’s injury has sparked debate, with critics arguing that more rigorous standards are needed to protect players from returning too soon after potential head trauma.
CNN has reached out to the Bills and the NFL for comment, but the league and team have yet to respond. Allen, however, addressed the incident in his postgame press conference, saying he “felt good enough to go back into the game.”
As the NFL faces mounting pressure to tighten its concussion protocols, Nowinski’s call for an investigation underscores the ongoing concerns about player safety and the league’s commitment to protecting its athletes from the long-term consequences of head injuries.
