Former defensive side of the Vikings, Jared Allen, Hall of Fame finalist, was not nominated for the Class of 2021, Chris Tomasson of Pioneer Press first reported.
Allen was one of the 15 finalists in this year’s class. He joined QB Peyton Manning, DB Charles Woodson and WR Calvin Johnson as players to be selected as finalists in his first year of eligibility.
Allen earning finalist honors in his first year of eligibility is a positive sign. He will have to wait at least until next year to find out if he will eventually enter the Hall of Fame, however.
For the Vikings, Allen arrived through exchange after playing for the Chiefs. The defensive side accounted for 22 sacks in 2011 and had more than 14 sacks in three different seasons with the Vikings.
Allen was part of the 2009 Vikings team that made it to the NFC championship before suffering a painful loss to the Saints. Allen was never able to bring a Super Bowl to Minnesota, but his tenacious game and absurd statistics will go down in history.
Corrections / Clarifications: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified Allen’s arrival in Minnesota. It came via trade.