Wyoming bestows rare honor upon Bills' QB Josh Allen

Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen will be honored by the Wyoming Cowboys this November.

Wyoming Cowboys QB Josh Allen looks to pass against Gardner-Webb Bulldogs. | Troy Babbitt-Imagn Images

Josh Allen is returning to Laramie, Wyoming this month to watch his former collegiate team take on the University of Nevada. The Buffalo Bills superstar won’t just be there to cheer on the Cowboys, however, as he’s set to receive the ultimate honor.

Wyoming announced it will retire Allen’s No. 17 jersey during the team's November 22 game against the University of Nevada.

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Their social media team released a heartfelt tribute to Allen’s impressive tenure in Wyoming, which ended with Allen telling fans he was excited to come home.

17 coming home. pic.twitter.com/rA7YZv6kan

— Wyoming Cowboy Football (@wyo_football) September 4, 2025

The visit was announced earlier in the year, and it was said at the time that Allen would be entering the university's Hall of Fame. Allen also received a surprise visit from his former head coach, Craig Bohl, who had effusive praise for his former quarterback.

"He transformed the state. Wyoming had enjoyed a proud history of great football way, way back, but we had fallen on hard times," Bohl said to the Buffalo media. "He made people in the state proud, and gave 'em a real sense of what we can accomplish."

While Allen is surprisingly not the school's all-time passing yardage leader, he still has an impressive stat line of 5,066 yards (eighth all-time) and 44 touchdown passes (third all-time).

Most of that damage was done in 2016 when Allen returned from a broken collarbone suffered the prior season to throw for 3,203 yards and 28 touchdowns, while rushing for 523 yards and seven touchdowns. That year, Allen led Wyoming to the Poinsettia Bowl, putting his name on the map, as well as on the radar of every NFL scout.

Wyoming Cowboys quarterback Josh Allen before the game against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Stadium. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

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