Josh Allen Spider Scare Goes Viral Days After Bills QB’s Flu-Fueled 5-TD Outburst vs. Lions

Josh Allen can stare down blitzing linebackers and 300-pound pass rushers without blinking, but a spider proved to be a different story entirely. A clip of the Buffalo Bills quarterback freezing mid-sentence as an eight-legged visitor crawled across his press conference table went viral this week, and it landed just days after Allen delivered one of the most talked-about performances of his career — throwing for 334 yards and two touchdowns in a wild 36-31 win over the Houston Texans while reportedly nursing the flu behind the scenes.

Allen, the reigning NFL MVP, enters his eighth season with Buffalo carrying the kind of larger-than-life reputation that made the spider moment so jarring for fans. The 6-foot-5, 237-pound Wyoming product has built his career on toughness — brushing off hits, playing through pain, and willing the Bills to relevance in the AFC year after year. So when a small arachnid rattled him more than any pass rusher ever has, the internet took notice immediately.

The Spider That Stole the Show

The moment happened Tuesday during Allen’s media availability, as he was in the middle of answering a question about new head coach Joe Brady’s decision to work from the sideline instead of the coaching booth. Mid-answer, Allen’s eyes locked onto something near his hand. “That’s a spider,” he said, pausing before adding, “I don’t like that.” What followed was several seconds of visibly rattled quarterback, tapping his fingers and tracking the spider’s every move while reporters tried to keep the interview on track. The clip spread rapidly across social media, with fans joking that the reigning MVP had finally met his kryptonite — and it wasn’t Patrick Mahomes.

The timing made the moment even more shareable. Just two days earlier, Allen had authored one of his signature statement performances, completing 20 of 29 passes for 334 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for two more scores in Buffalo’s season-opening 36-31 victory over the Texans in Houston. That effort extended an NFL record Allen already owned — his ninth career game with at least two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in the same contest, a feat no other quarterback in league history has matched more than a handful of times, let alone led outright.

Playing Through the Flu in a Statement Win

The illness angle only deepened after Buffalo’s Week 2 win. Following the Bills’ 41-31 victory over the Detroit Lions on Thursday night — the franchise’s first regular-season game at the newly built Highmark Stadium — analyst Richard Sherman revealed during Amazon Prime’s postgame broadcast that Allen had been battling the flu in the days leading up to kickoff, reportedly shivering in a hot tub and receiving IVs while trying to avoid a trip to the hospital. Despite that, Allen went on to complete 20 of 31 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns, adding 69 rushing yards and two more scores on the ground. It marked the tenth time in his career he’s produced multiple passing and multiple rushing touchdowns in a single game, further padding his own NFL record.

The “flu game” revelation sparked its own wave of reaction online, with some fans skeptical of the framing and others simply marveling at the numbers — five total touchdowns, zero interceptions, and a 2-0 start for Buffalo despite Allen reportedly playing compromised. Through two weeks, Allen has thrown for 582 yards and five touchdowns without an interception, posting a 125.83 passer rating that currently places him near the top of the league’s early MVP conversation. Bettors tracking Buffalo’s odds for a return trip to the postseason have watched the number shift after back-to-back wins, and BI’s team keeps its DraftKings promo code coverage updated for fans looking to get in on the Bills’ hot start.

What’s Next for Buffalo

The Bills, now 2-0 and atop the AFC East, will have extra time to let Allen recover fully before their Week 3 matchup. Buffalo hosts the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, September 27, at 1 p.m. ET at Highmark Stadium, with the game airing on Fox. The Chargers enter the contest at 0-1 after dropping their season opener, giving Buffalo a favorable spot to push its win streak to three before divisional play heats up.

For now, though, the spider clip has become the more universally relatable Josh Allen moment of the week — a reminder that even a quarterback capable of playing through the flu for five touchdowns still has one thing that can get under his skin. Bills fans are simply hoping he’s fully healthy, eight-legged visitors notwithstanding, by the time the Chargers come to town.