Jared Allen is one of the best pass rushers to ever play professional football. His time with the Minnesota Vikings put those skills on display on a regular basis as the star defensive end regularly pressured opposing quarterbacks.
Even the greatest players to ever play the game need a little advice every now and then. For Allen, getting into the Pro Football Hall of Fame seemed inevitable, but it's also a great honor and privilege to be enshrined.
Jared Allen got some great advice from a Minnesota Vikings legend before going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Set to join the Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2025, former Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen recently spoke about his road to Canton with the folks at Good Morning Football, and the video was shared on NFL.com.
In the video, Allen talks about many things but he included some advice he got from legendary Vikings wide receiver Cris Carter that helped his journey to the Hall of Fame.
"Cris Carter has actually given me some really good advice throughout my career and life. He told me once, he said 'When you think you're done playing, play two more.' And I got two busted L-5s for that, so I appreciate that, Cris."
Breaking your back isn't ideal, but it's not shocking that Jared Allen played hard enough throughout his career to sustain that type of injury. 12 years of wear and tear can add up and being physical in the trenches against strong offensive linemen was a battle every week.
Jared Allen spent six seasons in Minnesota, where he was named to four Pro Bowls and made the All-Pro First Team on three occasions. His dominance with the Kansas City Chiefs and Vikings is well-established, even if his stints in Chicago and Carolina are less memorable.
Enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame will happen on August 2 for the Class of 2025. Jared Allen and the other players receiving gold jackets will give their speeches and be recognized over the weekend during an event weekend that includes a concert from the rock band Nickelback as well as an exhibition game between the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers.
Let's hope there will be a lot of Minnesota Vikings fans in attendance wearing No. 69 jerseys and rocking mullets to show their appreciation for Jared Allen.