Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen receives unprecedented in-person honor from alma mater

"I’m so honored and blessed to represent this university in this beautiful state,” said Allen, per the Oil City News. “I love you guys. Thank you, God bless, go Pokes.”

Family surrounded the former Cowboys' QB during the retirement ceremony, which came at halftime of the Cowboys’ matchup with Nevada. His support group included his wife, Hailee Steinfeld, and his parents, Joel and LaVonne.

All-time great

During his time at Wyoming, Allen recorded 5,066 yards and 44 touchdown passes, which rank eighth and third all-time, respectively in the program’s history. Before the Bills selected him with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, in his final season with the Cowboys, Allen finished with 3,203 yards and 28 touchdowns, while rushing for 523 yards and seven touchdowns in his return from a season-ending collarbone injury he sustained the year prior.

”He transformed the state,” said Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl during a visit to Buffalo this past offseason.

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

Another honor

The honor was the second Allen has received from his alma mater this season, as he was previously inducted into the Wyoming Athletics Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2025 on Sept. 5.

“The feeling that I have right now is obviously a very proud and humbling feeling," Allen said during a Zoom call from Bills training camp. "I'm very excited to be part of such a special group with a lot of special people.”