5 best Minnesota Vikings pass rushers of the 21st century
By Adam Patrick
![(Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) Jared Allen (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) Jared Allen](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/73c3466c4dbff865c95a0c0d7d5f2e77aafe9ff838ab19d43a256ae7a31f4070.jpg)
1. Jared Allen (2008 – 2013)
Looking at the numbers he put up while he was with the Vikings, it’s really hard to believe that Allen was only in Minnesota for six seasons.
From the moment he joined the Vikings in 2008 though, the defensive end was a sack machine that could not be stopped. During his six seasons with Minnesota, Allen ended up with a total of 85.5 sacks and 16 forced fumbles.
He never missed a game as a member of the Vikings and he finished with at least 11 sacks in each of the six years he spent in purple and gold.
Allen’s most impressive season came in 2011 when he ended the year with 22 sacks, which is still an all-time record in Minnesota. During his Vikings career, the defensive end went to four Pro Bowls and was a three-time First-Team All-Pro selection.
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His time in Minnesota was not very long, but the Vikings certainly felt Allen’s impact during the years when he was a member of their defense.