Jared Allen, who graduated from Los Gatos High School, has been named a finalist for induction into the NFL Hall of Fame. Allen, who was born in Dallas, was raised on a ranch in Morgan Hill, where he attended Live Oak High School.
Allen played college ball at Idaho State, where his number 41 was retired by the Idaho State Bengals. Selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth round of the 2004 draft, he became a five-time Pro Bowl and four-time All-Pro selection. He totaled 136 sacks over 12 seasons, including 15 ½ sacks in 2007 and 22 in 2011. Allen—a 6-foot-6, 255-pound defensive end—was traded to the Minnesota Vikings for a first round pick and two third round picks in 2008. While he played for the Chicago Bears and the Carolina Panthers, he was best known for playing with Brett Favre in Minnesota.
In 2011, Allen set a single season record by a Viking with 22 sacks and became a member of the NFL’s 100 sack club. He’s tied for the most safeties in a season in history, with two. He’s also tied for most career safeties, with four—alongside Ted Hendricks, Doug English and Justin Houston. Allen retired from the NFL in 2016.
Allen was first named a finalist for the Hall of Fame in 2021 and has been a finalist five times. This year’s inductees will be announced in February, just prior to the Super Bowl.
Allen was previously named one of the “50 Greatest Vikings.” He was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor as its 27th member. If he gets inducted into the Hall of Fame, he will be the 23rd former Viking to make it in—and the first since Steve Hutchinson, who was picked in 2020.
Allen has the most games with at least a half-sack, at 11. He’s currently tied with Chris Jones, Trey Hendrickson, Nnamdi Madubuike and Shaun Ellis.
Allen is a family man—a Christian with a wife and two daughters. In recent years, he’s excelled at the sport of curling, competing in the World Curling Tour event, as well as the Curl Mesabi Classic. He also played in the 2021 and 2024 Men’s Curling Championships.
Finally, Allen was named an investor and player relations executive for the Alliance of American Football.
Although he never won a Super Bowl, Allen made the playoffs as a player several times—and played with Hall of Famer Brett Favre and Randy Moss. He would be the first player from Los Gatos High School to be inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
