Jared Allen was born on April 3, 1982, in Dallas, Texas. He grew up on a horse ranch in Morgan Hill, California. Allen attended high school at Los Gatos High, where he stood out as a football player. After high school, he went to Idaho State University. There, he excelled, earning numerous accolades, including the Buck Buchanan Award in 2003.
Allen was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2004 NFL Draft. He played four seasons with the Chiefs before being traded to the Minnesota Vikings. After six years with the Vikings, he joined the Chicago Bears in 2014. In 2015, he was traded to the Carolina Panthers, where he played in Super Bowl 50.
Over his 12-season NFL career, Allen was selected to five Pro Bowls and named to the All-Pro team four times. He retired with 136 career sacks. In 2025, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Allen’s connection to Dallas, where he was born, remains a key part of his legacy.
The Kansas City Chiefs selected Jared Allen with the 126th overall pick in the 4th round of the 2004 NFL Draft.
Allen is renowned for his performance in 2011 when he set a personal best and nearly broke the NFL single-season sack record with 22 sacks.
