Bills safety Jordan Poyer traveled 15 hours across 5 states — and back again — to play in Buffalo’s 24-20 win over the Kansas City Chiefs yesterday after he was not medically cleared to fly due to “resolving pneumothorax,” or a collapsed lung, according to an ESPN article.
The article says Poyer was permitted to play, but doctors were not comfortable with the air pressure that comes with flying as he recovers from the injury.
The Bills arranged for Poyer and his family to travel nearly 2,000 miles to and from Kansas City in a van. The All-Pro safety had four tackles in the game and played 100% of the defensive snaps.
Poyer suffered the injury, which the team has designated on its injury report as being to his ribs, in Week 4 at the Baltimore Ravens while making the second of his two fourth-quarter interceptions. He missed Buffalo’s Week 5 win over the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers and was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, but he practiced fully on Friday.
Poyer is tied for the league lead in interceptions with four despite playing in only four games. He also missed Buffalo’s Week 3 loss at the Miami Dolphins, due to a foot injury.