Wherever Shedeur Sanders goes, controversy follows him. From the eligibility debate surrounding his jersey retirement to a three-month delay for his NFL debut, the past six months have been eventful for the Browns QB. Now, hours before his first game as starting QB, NFL fans referenced a Shedeur Sanders controversy while talking about Josh Allen’s jersey retirement by Wyoming.
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On Saturday, the University of Wyoming retired Josh Allen’s No. 17 jersey, making him the first football player in their school history to receive the honor. The ceremony took place during Wyoming’s home game against Nevada at halftime.
When Bleacher Report shared a video of Allen with his wife, Hailee Steinfeld, several NFL fans compared the retirement ceremony with that of Shedeur Sanders, which was held six months ago.
Kinda wild Shedeur Sanders had his Colorado jersey retired before Josh Allen Wyoming lol
— GregisKitty (@GregIsKitty) November 22, 2025
“Kinda wild Shedeur Sanders had his Colorado jersey retired before Josh Allen at Wyoming lol,” a fan started the debate. Reacting to the fan’s comment, other users wondered whether Shedeur is really eligible for retirement, having just played two seasons for Colorado and not achieved anything big in the NFL.
“It’s easy when your dad is running the program,” a fan replied, hinting that Deion Sanders played a key role in the jersey honor. Another fan backed Shedeur, saying his achievements with Colorado make him an eligible candidate.
“Explain to me how breaking school records and leading in NCAA categories, winning more games at a program in 2 years than they did in the previous 8, doesn’t deserve anything?” the user added.
As the debate got stronger, another fan, who alluded to Deion Sanders’ role in the award, called Shedeur a “nepo baby.” Triggered by the remark, a few users came to Shedeur’s rescue by saying “he deserved it,” and urged the fans to watch his game against the Raiders this Sunday.
But the highlight of the comment section was a fan wondering whether there was any need to compare Shedeur and Josh’s retirements. “Wild, you just randomly throw Shedeur in this! Lol,” the fan commented.
Back in April 2025, the University of Colorado retired Shedeur Sanders’ No. 2 jersey, honoring his two seasons as quarterback. The ceremony was held during the team’s spring game at Folsom Field. His jersey was retired along with that of his favorite teammate and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.
In his senior season (2024), Shedeur completed 74.0% of his passes for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns, which were all new Colorado single-season records. He also led them to a 9–4 record in 2024, earning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
During his junior year (2023), Shedeur threw for 3,230 yards and 27 touchdowns with only three interceptions in 11 games. These numbers reflect Shedeur’s caliber and also mirror how Colorado (3–7) is struggling to find an ideal replacement in his absence this year.
At present, Shedeur is one of only six Colorado football players to have his jersey number retired. While that is a huge achievement, Shedeur must be fully aware that he can attain a legacy as a QB only if he makes it big in the NFL, for which the Raiders game is a crucial challenge.
