The former Minnesota Vikings defensive end and a few other former NFL players are currently attempting to become members of the U.S. Olympic Curling Team.
During his time with the Minnesota Vikings, rushing the passer seemed to come pretty natural for Jared Allen. In six seasons with the Vikings, Allen never finished with less than 11 sacks and in 2011 he set a franchise record when he racked up an impressive 22 sacks.
The defensive end is among the best to ever put on a Minnesota uniform, which includes a good amount of players who are currently enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Allen hasn’t played in the NFL since 2015 and now he and a few other former players are attempting to do something that doesn’t necessarily come as natural as their abilities on the football field.
The former Vikings defensive end is one of four former NFL players who are currently attempting to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic Curling Team. Along with Allen, Marc Bulger, Keith Bulluck, and Michael Roos are all trying make the transition from the gridiron to the ice.
The Viking Age has recently learned that this group of former football players will be a part of an upcoming segment titled “All Pro Curling” that will air on ESPN’s SportsCenter on Saturday at 8 a.m. ET. The feature will also re-air during other editions of SportsCenter on both Saturday and Sunday.
A preview of the segment can be viewed below.
On the monumental task that he and his new teammates are attempting to accomplish, Allen isn’t afraid to admit that it’s going to be difficult.
"“We’ve set high goals. If we pull it off, it’s like Miracle on Ice.”"
The former Minnesota pass rusher has been proving people wrong since he was a fourth-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2004 draft. Making the U.S. Olympic Curling Team will just be another way for Allen to overcome his doubters.
Don’t think that this is some sort of gimmick either. These four former NFL players are serious about representing their country at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, China.
The Vikings had a miracle of their own recently thanks to Stefon Diggs and Case Keenum. Are Allen and his curling teammates next in line to defy the odds?