Is the calf rope celebration heading to Canton?
Could be. Defensive end Jared Allen on Saturday was named one of 15 Modern-Era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2025.
The Vikings Ring of Honor member is in his fifth year of eligibility for enshrinement and is one of nine players in this year's finalists who reached this stage of the process for the Class of 2024.
The 50-member Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee will choose a maximum of five players for the Class of 2025 before Super Bowl LIX, and any players elected will be unveiled publicly on Feb. 6, 2025, during NFL Honors, which will be broadcast from New Orleans by FOX and NFL Network and streamed by NFL+.
Allen played 12 NFL seasons, spending the bulk of his career with the Vikings (2008-13). He started his pro journey with the Chiefs (2004-07) and later played for the Bears (2014-15) and Panthers (2015).
He earned First-Team All-Pro honors four times, three of them with the Vikings, and earned five Pro Bowl nods.
Allen was an elite pass rusher, recording 136 sacks, which ranks 12th in NFL history (since 1982 after sacks became an official statistic). During his time in Minnesota, he needed just 96 games to tally 85.5 sacks (sixth in franchise history) for an average of 0.89 sacks per game (the highest average in team history).
View photos of Vikings Legend Jared Allen during his 2022 Ring of Honor induction ceremony at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The 42-year-old is the franchise leader in safeties (four, tied for first in NFL history) and is in the top five in tackles for loss in Vikings (104, tied for first) and league history (171, tied for sixth among players since 1999). He added 641 career tackles (497 solo) and recorded 31 forced fumbles (19 recoveries), six interceptions and 58 passes defensed.
The players, along with their positions, years and teams are:
Eric Allen, Cornerback — 1988-1994 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995-97 New Orleans Saints, 1998-2001 Oakland Raiders
Jared Allen, Defensive End — 2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers
Willie Anderson, Tackle — 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens
Jahri Evans, Guard — 2006-2016 New Orleans Saints, 2017 Green Bay Packers
Antonio Gates, Tight End — 2003-2018 San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers
Torry Holt, Wide Receiver — 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars
Luke Kuechly, Linebacker — 2012-19 Carolina Panthers
Eli Manning, Quarterback — 2004-2019 New York Giants
Steve Smith Sr., Wide Receiver — 2001-2013 Carolina Panthers, 2014-16 Baltimore Ravens
Terrell Suggs, Outside Linebacker/Defensive End — 2003-2018 Baltimore Ravens, 2019 Arizona Cardinals, 2019 Kansas City Chiefs
Fred Taylor, Running Back — 1998-2008 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2009-2010 New England Patriots
Adam Vinatieri, Kicker — 1996-2005 New England Patriots, 2006-2019 Indianapolis Colts
Reggie Wayne, Wide Receiver — 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts
Darren Woodson, Safety — 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys
Marshal Yanda, Guard/Tackle — 2007-2019 Baltimore Ravens
