Countdown to 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement: Jared Allen
Enshrinement
Published on : 8/2/2025
By Mark Craig
Special to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
JARED ALLEN was 24 years old, a wild child barreling down the wrong path and fresh off two DWIs six months apart, when “Grandpa Ray” sat him down and delivered the figurative head slap that changed — and perhaps saved — Jared’s life and Pro Football Hall of Fame career.
“Ray Allen, Grandpa Ray, was a hardcore Marine,” Allen said. “Served in Korea. Did two tours in Vietnam. Great character. Toughest guy you’d ever meet.”
This was 2006. Jared Allen was three years into a 12-year career with the Chiefs (2004-07), Vikings (2008-2013), Bears (2014-15) and Panthers (2015). The NFL would suspend him for the first two games in 2007. One more sizable misstep and Allen likely was heading for a one-year ban or worse.
Ray Allen was fed up when he sat down his 6-6, 270-pound grandson. “He said something that will stick with me forever,” said Allen.
“He said, ‘I didn’t drag this last name through three wars just so you could screw it up.’ And he didn’t say ‘screw.’ It was a reality check. I think I grew up that day.”
Grandpa Ray is certain to have a place in Allen’s acceptance speech when the Class of 2025 is enshrined Aug. 2 in Canton.
“Grandpa Ray passed away a few years ago,” Allen said. “What would he say if he were here? I think he would be absolutely proud of me. He’d be proud of the player I was. But more importantly, I think he would be proud of the man I am today.
“That meant more to him than anything I did as a player. But, yeah, I think he would be absolutely stoked to be coming to Canton. He’d be sitting right here with my Vikings jersey on rooting me on harder than anyone.”
Born April 3, 1982, in Dallas, Allen grew up on a horse ranch in Morgan Hill, Calif. His football career took off at Live Oak High School, where he began drawing considerable interest from Pac-10 schools. The University of Washington was leading the way when it made him an early offer.
Then came Allen’s senior year. He was expelled for selling stolen yearbooks and refusing to name his accomplices. Or, as the grown-up version of Allen recalled, “Just dumb kid stuff I thought was funny but ended up not being funny.”
He transferred to Los Gatos High as Washington lost interest because of off-the-field concerns. The Huskies pulled their offer. Little Idaho State pounced.
Allen became the best defensive player in Division I-AA, but NFL teams were leery of the competition. Leery of Allen’s free-spirited reputation. Leery of what Allen admits were too many off-the-field scrapes that too often drew police intervention. T
he Chiefs took Allen 126th overall in the fourth round of the 2004 draft. At the time, no one was predicting 136 career sacks (good for 12th-best since sacks became an official stat in 1982). No, the Chiefs actually liked him more as a backup and long snapper — a skill Allen had been honing with his father, Ron, since second grade.
“We’ll maybe give him a shot at defensive end,” Hall of Fame Chiefs head coach Dick Vermeil said when Allen was drafted.
Indeed, they did. Allen had nine sacks in 10 starts as a rookie. He had 11 in 2005, 7.5 in 2006 and led the league for the first of two times in his career with 15.5 in 2007, his final year with Kansas City. In all, Allen would post seven consecutive years with 11 or more sacks, including a Vikings franchise-record 22 — half a sack shy of the league mark — in 2011 as runner-up NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
On top of being an elite pass rusher, Allen was an every-down defender who played on five top-10 run defenses, including ones that ranked second in 2008 and first in 2009. Leslie Frazier, Allen’s defensive coordinator from 2008-2010 and head coach from 2010-13, was a strong voice in helping convince the Hall’s selectors that Allen was not a one-trick pony.
“I played with Richard Dent and coached Dwight Freeney and Von Miller, and Jared had the same identical impact in his ability to single-handedly take over a game,” Frazier said. “But the thing that separates Jared from other great pass rushers was his ability to play the run. He got 22 sacks in a season and was excellent against the run. We may never see that combination again.”
Allen had 648 tackles in 12 years. That’s 298 more than Freeney had in 16 seasons. Allen also had 12 more sacks, 80 more quarterback hits and 43 more tackles for loss in four fewer seasons than Freeney, a Hall of Fame selection in his second year of eligibility in 2024. Freeney, incidentally, played a role in Allen’s journey from Kansas City to Minneapolis as a 26 year-old reigning NFL sack king. The Colts’ star edge rusher signed a six-year, $72 million deal that made him the highest-paid defender in NFL history.
Allen wanted more. Carl Peterson, Chiefs president and general manager, balked, saying it was too big of a risk on a guy facing a year’s suspension if he messed up again off the field.
Allen asked to be traded.
Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman was one of many potential suitors who loved Allen’s talent and notoriously relentless motor. Spielman was at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 3 in 2007 when Allen came off his NFL suspension to post two sacks — one of Allen’s 35 career multi-sack games, fourth-best all time — in a 13-10 win over the Vikings.
“It was a risk at the time, no question,” Spielman said. “But you do this for 30-some years, you hopefully have your B.S. meter up. There was no B.S. with Jared, talking with him.
“He was just different than other risks I was part of taking. He was a really boisterous personality, but you knew he had a good heart. He was a good person, an excellent person, who made some bad decisions and was so sincere you just knew he wasn’t going to screw up again. And we needed that dynamic pass rusher.”
In one of the best gambles in Vikings franchise history, Spielman dealt a first-round pick and two third-rounders to the Chiefs. He then made Allen the highest-paid defender in league history at six years, $72,260,069 — the last two digits being a nod to Allen’s jersey number — the first No. 69 worn by one of the Hall’s 382 enshrinees and the last of all numbers from 00 to 99 to enter the Hall.
As Spielman put it, “Jared obviously lived up to his end of the bargain when it came to taking the risk we took and him becoming the highest-paid defensive player.”
And then some. Allen played six years in Minnesota, never missing a game, averaging 14 sacks, 17 tackles for loss and 26 quarterback hits while being named first-team All-Pro three times in his first four seasons with the Vikings. Allen left via free agency in 2014, playing two more seasons with the Bears and Panthers and finishing his career in Carolina’s Super Bowl 50 loss two weeks after breaking his foot.
“I think Jared had a chip on his shoulder starting in high school when the Pac-10 schools backed off him,” said former Vikings head coach Brad Childress. “And he just never lost that chip. It served him well.”
While getting his act together off the field, Allen became a team leader, a role model, a Hall of Fame talent and, oh yeah, one of the most durable players of his generation. In 12 seasons littered with serious back and shoulder injuries, Allen missed only three games because of injuries and one other because of pneumonia.
“The guy never took a play off,” said Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, Allen’s teammate in Minnesota in 2009-10. “That relentless pursuit, not many guys have it. And then to have that kind of talent, too. He was a nightmare for offensive tackles.”
“Jared wasn’t your typical crap talker,” Favre said. “He was kind of funny. I thought, ‘This guy is out of his freaking mind.’ And when I played with him, I said, ‘I know this guy is out of his freaking mind.’”
On Oct. 5, 2009, in one of the more surreal scenes in NFL history, Favre faced his former team, the Packers, for the first time. And he was flawless, completing 77.4 percent of his 31 passes for 271 yards, three touchdowns, no turnovers and a 135.3 passer rating in a 30-23 Vikings win. But Favre wasn’t completely happy afterward.
“I never liked that people made that game all about me because that probably was the best game of Jared’s Hall of Fame career,” Favre said. Allen had 4.5 sacks and one of his NFL career record-tying four safeties.
“Jared was absolutely dominating,” Favre said. “We had become very good friends by then. I remember multiple times during that week and right before kickoff, when emotions were really high, Jared coming up to me and saying, ‘Don’t worry. I got your back.’ Boy, did he ever. It was a close game, but every time we needed a big defensive play, Jared was there to make it.”
All these years later, Allen still has his boisterous, fun-loving personality. But he also is all grown up, thanks in large part to Grandpa Ray.
Growing up for Jared meant marrying Amy; having two girls, Brinley, 13, and Lakelyn, 10; and starting a foundation, Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors, in 2009.
And now, at the still tender age of 43, Allen has a Bronze Bust made that will reside in Canton, Ohio, for long after any of us is around.
“I would have liked to have gone in when I was in my 30s,” Allen joked. “But, honestly, now that
the long wait is over, you appreciate it maybe a little more. I’ve talked to a lot of guys through this whole process. [Vikings Hall of Famer] Cris Carter, it took him six years. He told me the sting goes away. And no one can take this away. I’m in there forever.”
Special to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
JARED ALLEN was 24 years old, a wild child barreling down the wrong path and fresh off two DWIs six months apart, when “Grandpa Ray” sat him down and delivered the figurative head slap that changed — and perhaps saved — Jared’s life and Pro Football Hall of Fame career.
“Ray Allen, Grandpa Ray, was a hardcore Marine,” Allen said. “Served in Korea. Did two tours in Vietnam. Great character. Toughest guy you’d ever meet.”
This was 2006. Jared Allen was three years into a 12-year career with the Chiefs (2004-07), Vikings (2008-2013), Bears (2014-15) and Panthers (2015). The NFL would suspend him for the first two games in 2007. One more sizable misstep and Allen likely was heading for a one-year ban or worse.
Ray Allen was fed up when he sat down his 6-6, 270-pound grandson. “He said something that will stick with me forever,” said Allen.
“He said, ‘I didn’t drag this last name through three wars just so you could screw it up.’ And he didn’t say ‘screw.’ It was a reality check. I think I grew up that day.”
Grandpa Ray is certain to have a place in Allen’s acceptance speech when the Class of 2025 is enshrined Aug. 2 in Canton.
“Grandpa Ray passed away a few years ago,” Allen said. “What would he say if he were here? I think he would be absolutely proud of me. He’d be proud of the player I was. But more importantly, I think he would be proud of the man I am today.
“That meant more to him than anything I did as a player. But, yeah, I think he would be absolutely stoked to be coming to Canton. He’d be sitting right here with my Vikings jersey on rooting me on harder than anyone.”
Born April 3, 1982, in Dallas, Allen grew up on a horse ranch in Morgan Hill, Calif. His football career took off at Live Oak High School, where he began drawing considerable interest from Pac-10 schools. The University of Washington was leading the way when it made him an early offer.
Then came Allen’s senior year. He was expelled for selling stolen yearbooks and refusing to name his accomplices. Or, as the grown-up version of Allen recalled, “Just dumb kid stuff I thought was funny but ended up not being funny.”
He transferred to Los Gatos High as Washington lost interest because of off-the-field concerns. The Huskies pulled their offer. Little Idaho State pounced.
Allen became the best defensive player in Division I-AA, but NFL teams were leery of the competition. Leery of Allen’s free-spirited reputation. Leery of what Allen admits were too many off-the-field scrapes that too often drew police intervention. T
he Chiefs took Allen 126th overall in the fourth round of the 2004 draft. At the time, no one was predicting 136 career sacks (good for 12th-best since sacks became an official stat in 1982). No, the Chiefs actually liked him more as a backup and long snapper — a skill Allen had been honing with his father, Ron, since second grade.
“We’ll maybe give him a shot at defensive end,” Hall of Fame Chiefs head coach Dick Vermeil said when Allen was drafted.
Indeed, they did. Allen had nine sacks in 10 starts as a rookie. He had 11 in 2005, 7.5 in 2006 and led the league for the first of two times in his career with 15.5 in 2007, his final year with Kansas City. In all, Allen would post seven consecutive years with 11 or more sacks, including a Vikings franchise-record 22 — half a sack shy of the league mark — in 2011 as runner-up NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
On top of being an elite pass rusher, Allen was an every-down defender who played on five top-10 run defenses, including ones that ranked second in 2008 and first in 2009. Leslie Frazier, Allen’s defensive coordinator from 2008-2010 and head coach from 2010-13, was a strong voice in helping convince the Hall’s selectors that Allen was not a one-trick pony.
“I played with Richard Dent and coached Dwight Freeney and Von Miller, and Jared had the same identical impact in his ability to single-handedly take over a game,” Frazier said. “But the thing that separates Jared from other great pass rushers was his ability to play the run. He got 22 sacks in a season and was excellent against the run. We may never see that combination again.”
Allen had 648 tackles in 12 years. That’s 298 more than Freeney had in 16 seasons. Allen also had 12 more sacks, 80 more quarterback hits and 43 more tackles for loss in four fewer seasons than Freeney, a Hall of Fame selection in his second year of eligibility in 2024. Freeney, incidentally, played a role in Allen’s journey from Kansas City to Minneapolis as a 26 year-old reigning NFL sack king. The Colts’ star edge rusher signed a six-year, $72 million deal that made him the highest-paid defender in NFL history.
Allen wanted more. Carl Peterson, Chiefs president and general manager, balked, saying it was too big of a risk on a guy facing a year’s suspension if he messed up again off the field.
Allen asked to be traded.
Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman was one of many potential suitors who loved Allen’s talent and notoriously relentless motor. Spielman was at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 3 in 2007 when Allen came off his NFL suspension to post two sacks — one of Allen’s 35 career multi-sack games, fourth-best all time — in a 13-10 win over the Vikings.
“It was a risk at the time, no question,” Spielman said. “But you do this for 30-some years, you hopefully have your B.S. meter up. There was no B.S. with Jared, talking with him.
“He was just different than other risks I was part of taking. He was a really boisterous personality, but you knew he had a good heart. He was a good person, an excellent person, who made some bad decisions and was so sincere you just knew he wasn’t going to screw up again. And we needed that dynamic pass rusher.”
In one of the best gambles in Vikings franchise history, Spielman dealt a first-round pick and two third-rounders to the Chiefs. He then made Allen the highest-paid defender in league history at six years, $72,260,069 — the last two digits being a nod to Allen’s jersey number — the first No. 69 worn by one of the Hall’s 382 enshrinees and the last of all numbers from 00 to 99 to enter the Hall.
As Spielman put it, “Jared obviously lived up to his end of the bargain when it came to taking the risk we took and him becoming the highest-paid defensive player.”
And then some. Allen played six years in Minnesota, never missing a game, averaging 14 sacks, 17 tackles for loss and 26 quarterback hits while being named first-team All-Pro three times in his first four seasons with the Vikings. Allen left via free agency in 2014, playing two more seasons with the Bears and Panthers and finishing his career in Carolina’s Super Bowl 50 loss two weeks after breaking his foot.
“I think Jared had a chip on his shoulder starting in high school when the Pac-10 schools backed off him,” said former Vikings head coach Brad Childress. “And he just never lost that chip. It served him well.”
While getting his act together off the field, Allen became a team leader, a role model, a Hall of Fame talent and, oh yeah, one of the most durable players of his generation. In 12 seasons littered with serious back and shoulder injuries, Allen missed only three games because of injuries and one other because of pneumonia.
“The guy never took a play off,” said Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, Allen’s teammate in Minnesota in 2009-10. “That relentless pursuit, not many guys have it. And then to have that kind of talent, too. He was a nightmare for offensive tackles.”
“Jared wasn’t your typical crap talker,” Favre said. “He was kind of funny. I thought, ‘This guy is out of his freaking mind.’ And when I played with him, I said, ‘I know this guy is out of his freaking mind.’”
On Oct. 5, 2009, in one of the more surreal scenes in NFL history, Favre faced his former team, the Packers, for the first time. And he was flawless, completing 77.4 percent of his 31 passes for 271 yards, three touchdowns, no turnovers and a 135.3 passer rating in a 30-23 Vikings win. But Favre wasn’t completely happy afterward.
“I never liked that people made that game all about me because that probably was the best game of Jared’s Hall of Fame career,” Favre said. Allen had 4.5 sacks and one of his NFL career record-tying four safeties.
“Jared was absolutely dominating,” Favre said. “We had become very good friends by then. I remember multiple times during that week and right before kickoff, when emotions were really high, Jared coming up to me and saying, ‘Don’t worry. I got your back.’ Boy, did he ever. It was a close game, but every time we needed a big defensive play, Jared was there to make it.”
All these years later, Allen still has his boisterous, fun-loving personality. But he also is all grown up, thanks in large part to Grandpa Ray.
Growing up for Jared meant marrying Amy; having two girls, Brinley, 13, and Lakelyn, 10; and starting a foundation, Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors, in 2009.
And now, at the still tender age of 43, Allen has a Bronze Bust made that will reside in Canton, Ohio, for long after any of us is around.
“I would have liked to have gone in when I was in my 30s,” Allen joked. “But, honestly, now that
the long wait is over, you appreciate it maybe a little more. I’ve talked to a lot of guys through this whole process. [Vikings Hall of Famer] Cris Carter, it took him six years. He told me the sting goes away. And no one can take this away. I’m in there forever.”
More on the Class of 2025 Enshrinement
- Countdown to 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement: Eric Allen
- Countdown to 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement: Jared Allen
- Countdown to 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement: Antonio Gates
- Countdown to 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement: Sterling Sharpe
- "Knock on the Door": Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 members get the big news
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