Jared Allen calls kids his ‘greatest accomplishment' at Hall of Fame induction

Miami Herald

3 days ago

For 12 years, Jared Allen was one of the top defensive ends in the National Football League.
During his time as a professional football player, Allen was a five-time Pro Bowler and a four-time All-Pro selection. He completed 136 sacks in his career and as a result of all of that, Allen was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year.
On Aug. 2, Allen and three other former NFL players, received their gold Hall of Fame jackets and made a speech.
At the end of his speech, Allen said if his football accolades are all he is remembered for, then he failed.
'I'm here to tell you two, you are my greatest accomplishments,' Allen told his daughters, Brinley and Lakelyn, who were sitting at a table looking up at him during his speech.
'When I get called home to heaven one day, if all they talk about is this gold jacket, my career, then I failed miserably as a father, a husband and a friend. You two are my legacy,' he continued, as his daughters got emotional.
'You are both so talented, and I cannot wait to see what you two decide to do to conquer this world,' he said in a direct message to his girls. 'So always put Christ first. Find your why, dream big dreams and always pursue greatness in whatever you do. Thank you all, and may God bless you all.'
Allen began his professional football career with the Chiefs in 2004 before he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings before the 2008 season, where he played the majority of his career until 2013. Allen would go on to play with the Bears and with the Panthers before retiring in 2016.
In a message to the Vikings during his speech, Allen said, 'As a Norseman by blood, because I am Norwegian, it was only fitting I became a Viking.'
'The entire Wilf family, I don't think I can every truly express the depths of my gratitude to your entire organization,' he continued. 'I'm a firm believer that God puts people in your life at the appropriate times, and what you did for the growth of my career, and more importantly, the people that you surrounded me with in that organization helped me grow as a man, that is why I will forever call the Vikings my home.'
In the end, Allen said he likes to believe that the Hall of Fame jackets are gold in color because gold is a 'reflective medal,' and this jacket in particular symbolizes all the people in his life that helped him get to where he is today.
'I might be the one wearing this jacket, but I hope every time you see this jacket you see yourself.'