(Photo: Yahoo Sports)
I’ve often compared pass rushers to three-point shooters in basketball. Even at an advanced age, you can still have an impact just as a spot up shooter on the basketball court. I’ve been fortunate to see my share of solid pass rushers from Jason Taylor to Michael Strahan, Von Miller, J.J. Watt, Dwight Freeney, Julius Peppers and DeMarcus Ware just to name a few. Jason, Michael, Dwight, DeMarcus and Julius are all in Canton as members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and I know for a fact Von and J.J. will join those guys I mentioned in due time. One guy that didn’t get a ton of recognition but was always a force within his defenses was a guy named Jared Allen. This Summer, he finally gets to join the exclusive club in Canton, Ohio as a member of the Class of 2025.
Jared is one of the greatest Defensive Ends of his time. The key to being a successful pass rusher is the release/get off of the snap and Jared’s was one that stood out. He always used the crowd noise to his advantage and knew how to burst his way to the Quarterback. One thing Jared was strong with was reading tackle sets and if you overset yourself or you were too aggressive, he was quick enough to go underneath. You could think you had a good game against him, especially if you stayed in front of him, then he would counter attack and adjust to use different moves to get by you. Standing tall at 6’6, Jared used his height and long arms to his full advantage which would help him tremendously. He was solid with his hands and strong enough to bully anyone standing in his way. One aspect of his game that was underrated was his athleticism and how he was able to twist and turn. He was a slippery defender who was often difficult to block. Jared was one of those guys you had to be technically sound against because if you weren’t, he would exploit your weakness as I mentioned up top. He always found a way with angles and knew how to work your momentum and weight against you. Jared never quit on a play and that’s what always stood out to me. It was his motor and relentless effort to stay up on his feet as he was never out of a play.
To say he shouldn’t be in the Hall of Fame tells me you didn’t watch football or you just want to follow a wave because you see everyone else saying it. He is 12th all time on the sacks list with 136 for his career. Jared was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2004 and wrapped up his career with the Carolina Panthers and retired after the 2015 season. He made the guys around him better. What a career he had and now, he will be forever enshrined in Canton.
