Jared Allen thanks Chiefs during Hall of Fame speech, shares hilarious tidbit about founder and former owner Lamar Hunt
Allen has a special place in Chiefs’ history.
Former Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this past weekend.
Allen made sure to thank the Chiefs organization during his speech, while sharing a hilarious tidbit about founder and former owner Clark Hunt.
“To the Kansas City Chiefs, I can not thank the Hunt family enough for making an 8-year-old kid’s dream come true,” Allen said. “To be drafted to such a storied franchise was absolutely incredible. I will never forget the embraces the great Lamar Hunt would give after every single game. It didn’t matter if you were half naked or fully dressed, he was going to give you a big ol’ bear hug and tell you he appreciated you.”
Hunt passed away at 74 years old in 2006, and his son Clark took over as chairman. Allen was selected by the Chiefs in the fourth round (126th overall) of the 2004 NFL Draft. He made an immediate impact as a rookie, recording nine sacks and 10 tackles for loss. His best year in K.C. came in 2007 when he racked up 15.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and 11 passes defensed.
Allen was traded to the Minnesota Vikings following the ’07 season for a first-round and two third-round picks in the 2008 NFL Draft. The Chiefs used those picks to select offensive lineman Branden Albert, running back Jamaal Charles, and safety DaJuan Morgan. Albert had a solid six-year run in K.C. that culminated in a Pro Bowl selection in 2013, and Charles became the Chiefs’ all-time leading rusher.
As for Allen, his career continued to flourish during his six-year stint in Minnesota. Between his time with the Chiefs and Vikings, Allen was a four-time First-Team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection. Allen ranks 12th all-time on the NFL’s official sack list with 136 sacks. He finished up his career with a two-year stop with the Chicago Bears and one year with the Carolina Panthers before retiring at the conclusion of the 2015 season.