Vikings legend Jared Allen will have to wait again to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame after being passed over for a fourth-straight year.
Allen was not a part of the seven member Class of 2024 that featured two pass rushers: Dwight Freeney and Julius Peppers.
In his 12-year career, Allen racked up 136.0 sacks, 648 tackles, 32 forced fumbles, 19 fumble recoveries, six interceptions, one pick-six and four safeties. Allen’s four career safeties is tied with four others for most all-time in a single career.
Allen was drafted in the fourth round of the 2004 draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. After four seasons with the Chiefs, Allen was traded to Minnesota ahead of the 2008 season. He spent six years with Minnesota, where he had 85.5 of his career 136 sacks, including his 22-sack 2011 season.
With Allen on the defensive line, the Vikings were top-10 in stopping the run from 2008 to 2010.
Allen was selected to the Pro Bowl five times and awarded All-Pro four times. He finished second in voting for Defensive Player of the Year in 2011 to Baltimore’s Terrell Suggs.
Some are viewing Allen missing induction as a snub after comparing his stats with former Colts pass rusher Dwight Freeney.
Freeney finished his career with 125.5 sacks, 350 tackles, 47 forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, zero interceptions and one safety. He played for sixteen years, was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times, named All-Pro three times and named a member of the All-2000s team. Freeney won his only Super Bowl in 2007 with the Colts.
Allen will presumably become a five-time finalist next year as he’s been a finalist in all four of his previous years of eligibility. Joining him next year as a first time candidate will be Suggs, who had three more career sacks and played five more seasons.
The full Class of 2024 is below
- EDGE Dwight Freeney
- LB Randy Gradishar
- PR/KR/WR Devin Hester
- WR Andre Johnson
- DT Steve McMichael
- EDGE Julius Peppers
- LB Patrick Willis
Dwight Freeney getting into the Hall of Fame over Jared Allen is interesting to me pic.twitter.com/E3ibL1sKfP
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) February 9, 2024
