Jared Allen is one step closer to Canton.
Allen was announced Wednesday among 15 modern-era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024.
The Vikings Legend is in his fourth year of eligibility for enshrinement.
The 50-member Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee trimmed the list from 25 semifinalists and will now vote on the Class of 2024 before Super Bowl LVIII. A maximum of five modern-era finalists can be selected.
View photos of Vikings Legend Jared Allen during his 2022 Ring of Honor induction ceremony at U.S. Bank Stadium.
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).
Allen 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 fourth). He added 641 career tackles (497 solo) and recorded 31 forced fumbles (19 recoveries), six interceptions and 58 passes defensed.
The complete list of finalists is below:
Reggie Wayne
Torry Holt
Andre Johnson
Devin Hester
Jared Allen
Rodney Harrison
Darren Woodson
Eric Allen
Antonio Gates
Julius Peppers
Dwight Freeney
Patrick Willis
Jahri Evans
Willie Anderson
Fred Taylor
