COLUMN: Should Wyoming Retire Josh Allen’s No. 17?

LARAMIE -- Only two jersey numbers are no longer in use in the Wyoming football program -- No. 10 and 56.

The latter belonged to a hard-hitting middle linebacker Dave Schutt, who was tragically killed by a train in 1988. The other, a 21-year-old quarterback from New York, Ed Synakowski, who drowned in Lake Hattie back in 1970.

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While those digits have not been issued since, technically no number has ever been officially retired.

Should that distinction belong to newly crowned NFL MVP Josh Allen?

Jen Spivey certainly thinks so.

In fact, this fan is so adamant about it, she recently started an online petition at change.org that has been signed by 103 people as of Wednesday morning.

"As one born and raised in the great state of Wyoming, I am proud to be part of a community that values hard work, respectability, and common sense, hand in hand with a healthy dose of humor," Spivey penned. "We're not stuck in the past as some might believe; we're proud folks who honor exceptional achievements.

"One such achievement is that of our very own Josh Allen."

Numerous other fans on social media also agree the No. 17 should never be worn again.

That flame was stoked even more last Saturday when it was announced Allen would be part of the 2025 class of the University of Wyoming Intercollegiate Hall of Fame. He earned that honor earlier than expected. The criteria, according to the official website, is an athlete only becomes eligible 10 years after their last college game.

For Allen, that's seven-plus years.

You remember that MVP performance in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl when the junior tossed three touchdowns -- with a bum right shoulder, no less -- in a 37-14 rout of Central Michigan.

With the snow falling in Boise, Allen announced to the world he would be forgoing his final season in Laramie and declaring for the NFL Draft.

The Buffalo Bills made him the No. 7 selection four months later.

Why should his number forever be encased in glass? Here are a few reasons:

* No other UW athlete has ever brought so much attention to this program, school. According to a study conducted by Joyce Julius & Associates Inc., media exposure surrounding the program in 2017 was valued at nearly $50 million. Allen, no doubt, brought the football world to Laramie. Never was that more apparent than during his Pro-Day workout, when all the major networks were in attendance.

* Our eyes weren't deceiving us. This kid was special. You remember the roll outs as Allen would escape oncoming pressure. Just before he would reach the sideline, that right arm would whip across his body and almost always that ball would stick right into the hands of Tanner Gentry, Jake Maulhardt, Jacob Hollister and others. You knew what you were watching was beyond unique. His athleticism was off the charts. Still is.

* Be good, do good. Allen is beloved for his exploits on the field, but it's the man away from the stadium that really boosts the local pride. Fame hasn't changed the kid who was denied by nearly every single FBS school in the country out of high school, and even Reedley Community College. He remembers. Since his arrival in Buffalo, Allen has been an active member of the Western New York community, including donating time and money to Oishei Children's Hospital, more specifically the Patricia Allen Pediatric Recovery Wing on the 10th floor. Fans from around the globe chipped in $1.1 million -- $17 at a time -- after the passing of his grandmother. If you haven't watched this video, do yourself a favor -- and grab a tissue.

* This university has never had a starting quarterback in the NFL, let alone the face of the league. What we are witnessing right now shouldn't be taken for granted. It could be a one-in-a-lifetime experience.

* Allen was 2-0 against Colorado State and Air Force. Hey, that's important around here. He was one big play away from knocking off BYU in the 2016 Poinsettia Bowl, too. As painful as that last-minute interception in San Diego was, that was the throw that stuck in his craw and ultimately led to him coming back for another season. I'll take that trade.

* He laid it all on the line. Allen more than likely shouldn't have played in that Potato Bowl inside Albertsons Stadium. Dealing with a nagging right shoulder injury and just months away from becoming a first-round pick, he had everything to lose that day. A bad outing would've led to more scrutiny. Hurting that wing any further wouldn't help his stock, either. He didn't care. With John Elway standing on the sideline, Allen carved up the CMU secondary. He did that for his teammates and coaches. He did that for you.

* This school has produced some great quarterbacks -- Josh Wallwork, Casey Bramlet and Brett Smith, among others -- but did their performance on the field make others want to come to school here? Maybe. Sean Chambers, Tyler Vander Waal, Levi Williams, and most recently, Evan Svoboda, in part, came to Laramie because they saw what Allen did and where he ended up. Remember, this is "Where underdogs come to shine." That's what the reported $2 million UW commercial announced to the world on Super Bowl Sunday.

* Allen led the Cowboys to their one and only appearance in the Mountain West Championship game in 2016. He was also the only QB to get the best of Boise State in school history. Wyoming is 1-18 against the Broncos.

I'll admit, I didn't initially think Allen deserved this ultimate honor, strictly when it comes to on-field accomplishments at UW.

He essentially played just two seasons in Laramie. His first outing, which turns out might've been a blessing in disguise, lasted just 23 plays before his collarbone was shattered in seven spots, sidelining him for the remainder of that two-win 2015 campaign.

While those two years were special, including 5,066 passing yards and 44 touchdown tosses, it was just a sample size. He ranks No. 8 and 5, respectively, in those categories. Those numbers are actually incredible considering the run-first offense Allen played in.

Allen, though, was never named to the All-Mountain West Team in the postseason, despite being voted the preseason Player of the Year in 2017.

Though the Cowboys have never been closer to a league title since joining the Mountain West back in 1999, Allen never got them over that hump, either.

Patrick Mahomes, to whom Allen will always be linked, played in parts of just three seasons at Texas Tech. In that pass-happy offense in Lubbock, the future 3-time Super Bowl champion, threw for 11,252 yards and 93 touchdowns. He took the Red Raiders to one bowl game -- a blowout loss to LSU in the 2015 Texas Bowl -- and finished below .500 in the other two years.

Mahomes won the Sammy Baugh Trophy and led the FBS in passing yards (5,052) and total touchdowns (63).

He is in Tech's Ring of Fame, but the No. 5 is still in circulation.

So is No. 17 at Wyoming.

Svoboda, who now lines up at tight end, wears it. So does nickelback Malique Singleton.

Will that change in 2025?

It should.

Allen has been an impeccable ambassador for not just this university, but this state. He embodies everything we hold dear, from his relentless work ethic to his humble nature. He was the ultimate longshot, an afterthought.

He was too small, just like his hometown, his high school and, yes, his college.

That raw kid you saw grow up before your very eyes is now at the very top of his profession. That's to be celebrated.

That number belongs to Allen. He continues to earn it.

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