By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
The Pro Football Hall of Fame committee announced on Thursday that former Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen will be enshrined as part of the 2025 Hall of Fame class.
Allen is joined by tight end Antonio Gates, cornerback Eric Allen, and wide receiver Sterling Sharpe in the smallest class since 2005 which will take their rightful place in Canton, Ohio on August 2nd.
“My family and I are thrilled that Jared Allen has become the 20th player in Chiefs history inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said in a news release from the Chiefs. “From the time the Chiefs drafted Jared in 2004, we knew he was a special man with special talent."
"While wearing a Chiefs uniform, Jared was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team, he reached the first of his five Pro Bowls, he was named First Team All Pro, and he led the league in sacks for the first time. He left an indelible mark on Chiefs history, and the entire organization is excited to celebrate his induction in Canton later this year.”
Allen was selected by the Chiefs in the 2004 NFL draft with the 126th overall pick. He spent four seasons in Kansas City appearing in 61 regular season games. In that time, Allen recorded 230 tackles, 43 sacks, 39 quarterback hits, 26 passes defensed, 13 forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries and one interception. Allen’s 43 sacks rank ninth in Chiefs history and his 26 passes defensed rank second among defensive lineman in Chiefs history, only trailing defensive tackle Chris Jones.
After being traded by the Chiefs to the Minnesota Vikings, where he spent six seasons, and spent one season with the Chicago Bears. In the 2015 season, he played in four games with the Bears before eventually joining the Carolina Panthers for the final 12 games of the season. Allen retired following the 2015 season.
Throughout the entirety of his career, Allen appeared in 187 regular season contests and recorded 647 tackles, 136 sacks, 58 passes defensed, 31 forced fumbles, 19 fumble recoveries, six interceptions and one defensive touchdown. In the postseason, he appeared in seven games totaling 23 total tackles, five tackles for loss, four sacks, two forced fumbles and two passes defensed.
The Los Gatos, California, native attended Idaho State where he played football from 2000-03. While at Idaho State, the two-time All-American and three-time All-Big Sky honoree became the first-ever Buck Buchanan Award Winner in the Big Sky Conference in 2003. He tallied 102 tackles, 17.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and nine passes defensed.
Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri, Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, all in their first year of eligibility, were not selected.
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