DENVER — This Saturday, the Mile High City will welcome one of its favorite adopted sons — Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
While Allen stands directly in the Broncos’ path to postseason glory, cheers from the crowd may not be in short supply. Just two hours north, in Laramie, Wyoming, Allen built a devoted fan base as quarterback for the Wyoming Cowboys, a stint that left a lasting imprint on Broncos Country.
“He’s a once in a generation,” said Wyoming athletic director Tom Burman. “We have never had a star like a Josh Allen. We’ve had some great players who’ve done amazing things, whether it be in the NBA or the NFL, but Josh is transformational.”
Burman credits Allen’s skill, competitive edge and personality with elevating the Cowboys’ profile in Wyoming and beyond. “His popularity continues to grow,” he said.
That legacy is what makes Saturday’s AFC playoff matchup between the Broncos and Bills such a test of loyalties. For Broncos fans who also bleed brown and gold, Allen represents both pride and a threat.
Dioselyn Alatorre, a Wyoming graduate and longtime Allen fan, admits her household feels the tug-of-war. “My dad, on the other hand, he’s like, slowly moving to become a Bills fan. He’s divided. He likes both teams,” she said. “I think a lot of people like the idea of Josh being from or coming out of here, but have always been Broncos fans, so it’s just difficult to get that separated.”
Of course, Allen’s history also includes frustrating moments for Broncos Country’s northern neighbors — namely Colorado State Rams fans. Allen led Wyoming to victories over CSU in both 2016 and 2017, including a stunning comeback in a blizzard.
“You saw him lined up in shotgun, there’s snow everywhere, they need a touchdown — and you just knew that Josh Allen was going to run the football,” said Brian Roth, the voice of the Rams. “He led Wyoming down the field and they scored a touchdown with about 3 minutes to go and CSU was not able to answer.”
At his Wyoming jersey retirement ceremony last year, Allen shared one more jab — “It sucks to be a CSU Ram.” Roth laughed at the memory. “The Rams live rent free inside Josh Allen’s head. He made that very clear — and we’re happy about that,” Roth said. “That’s what makes rivalries fun. Comments like that.”
Still, Roth — a devoted Broncos fan — is hoping Allen leaves Denver disappointed this weekend. “Speaking as a Broncos fan and speaking as a CSU Rams fan, I want nothing more than for the Broncos to come out and absolutely demolish Josh Allen,” he said. “I hope they sack him 10 times. I hope the Broncos shut them out. And I hope it demoralizes Josh Allen and they go back to Buffalo and are never heard from again.”
For some, Allen’s Wyoming ties will make Saturday bittersweet. For others, the playoff stakes outweigh any hometown pride. But in the end, Roth knows the truth about the fan divide. “That's what makes rivalries fun,” he said.
Kickoff is Saturday afternoon at Empower Field at Mile High. And despite Allen’s legacy in Laramie, there’s no question — this is still Broncos Country.
