Josh Allen Announces His No. 17 Wyoming Jersey Will Be Retired
LARAMIE -- If you were wondering why Evan Svoboda and Malique Singleton no longer wear the No. 17, the cat is officially out of the bag.
Josh Allen, appearing last Friday on the Like A Farmer Podcast, announced his jersey at Wyoming will be retired during the Cowboys' home finale Nov. 22 against Nevada.
The reigning NFL MVP said he will be in attendance and this will be his first time back in Laramie since his Pro Day workout back in 2018.
"I actually get to go back to Wyoming after we play the Houston Texans. Number retirement. How about that?" Allen says at the 44:40 mark of the interview. "So that's pretty cool."
Allen, who was under center in Laramie from 2015-17, throwing for 5,066 yards and 44 touchdowns while leading the Cowboys to a berth in the 2016 Mountain West Championship game, will also be officially inducted into the 32nd class of the UW Intercollegiate Hall of Fame at a ceremony Friday night inside the Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center.
“It is very exciting and a wonderful day for the State of Wyoming,” UW Director of Athletics Tom Burman said in a release. “It is going to be a big day in the history of Wyoming Football. Josh is the most high-profile ambassador the University of Wyoming has ever had.
"The National Football League is the most visible sports enterprise in history, and he is the best player in that league and that is pretty amazing in itself.”
Buffalo selected Allen with the No. 7 pick of the first round in the 2018 NFL Draft. Since arriving in Orchard Park, the Firebaugh, Calif., native has thrown for 26,434 yards and 195 touchdowns. He has led the Bills to five consecutive division crowns and two appearances in the AFC Championship game.
Still, he says he has kept a close eye on his alma mater.
"We won 10-0 last night. How about that?" Allen said, referring to last Thursday's season-opening win at Akron. "I'm feeling good. I don't love 10-0 in the fact we only scored 10 points but I love the fact we didn't allow any points, either. Wyoming has always kind of been a hardnose football defensive team, even when I was there. But, again, Game 1. Can't judge a team based off Game 1.
"Let ourselves get our feet underneath us and get to going."
Though no jersey numbers are officially retired at UW, the No. 10 and 56 have been pulled from circulation for decades. The latter belonged to former linebacker Dave Schutt, who was struck and killed by a train in downtown Laramie in 1988. The other belonged to quarterback Ed Synakowski, who was tragically killed in a boating accident at Lake Hattie back in 1970.
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