Josh Allen has said that he throws up before almost every game as part of a strange but helpful pregame ritual, not because of a serious medical issue.
How the ritual started
Allen has explained that early in his career he felt nauseous and had the urge to throw up before games, but he didn’t act on it until a preseason game against the Detroit Lions in his second year when he was already feeling sick. After he vomited that day, he noticed he didn’t experience the same cramping in his hand and decided it actually made him feel better physically during games.
Why he keeps doing it
He now treats vomiting as a pregame routine to “get it out” so he can take the field feeling lighter and with fewer cramps or stomach issues. Allen has also described it as something “primal,” saying it is not really about nerves but more like his body’s natural way of preparing for the intensity of playing, and he accepts it as weird but beneficial.
How often it happens
Allen has said it “basically happens every game,” usually before kickoff, but if he does not throw up enough beforehand it can happen on the sideline or around halftime. Recent games where cameras caught him vomiting on the sideline, such as against the Patriots, are just more visible examples of something he says has been part of his routine for a while.
