How Jared Allen finally reached the Pro Football Hall of Fame: An insider’s look

NEW ORLEANS - An inside look at how former Vikings defensive end Jared Allen survived the most difficult selection process the Pro Football Hall of Fame has experienced the past 20 years …

Forty-nine selectors, including me, met via Zoom for over eight hours Jan. 14 to select the four-member Class of 2025. New voting rules created the smallest class since four were selected in 2005. The minimum number of modern-era players (three) joined the minimum number (one) from a category that lumped together for the first time seniors (three), coaches (one) and contributors (one). A maximum of eight could have made the class, but no one beyond the minimum numbers got 80% of the votes.

Allen was one of 15 modern-era finalists. Eli Manning, Steve Smith Sr., Fred Taylor, Reggie Wayne and Terrell Suggs were eliminated in the first cut to 10.

Manning’s case was discussed for 52 minutes, 10 seconds — 23 minutes longer than any of the other 19 finalists. Bylaws prevent selectors from revealing specifics of what was discussed.

Like Manning, Suggs was one of five eligible for the first time. None made it as voters raised the bar on first-ballot entry this year. Suggs topped Allen in sacks (139-136) and Super Bowl wins (2-0) and beat out Allen for 2011 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. His case was discussed for only 6 minutes, 31 seconds, shorter than all but Luke Kuechly’s (5:50) — a sure sign that selectors didn’t view the one-time All-Pro as worthy of leapfrogging Allen, a four-time All-Pro in his fifth straight year of eligibility and fifth year as a finalist.

The next cut was to seven instead of the traditional five. Darren Woodson, Marshal Yanda and Jahri Evans, a four-time first-team All-Pro, were eliminated.

In past years, selectors cut to five and then voted yes or no on each. This resulted in all five routinely getting in and has fueled the fire for critics who argue that the Hall of Fame is being watered down.

This year, selectors were instructed to vote for five of the final seven with a maximum of five making it. But the only two joining Allen in the class were Eagles cornerback Eric Allen and Chargers tight end Antonio Gates. The four eliminated were Rams receiver Torry Holt; Bengals right tackle Willie Anderson; and first-year-eligibles Kuechly, a five-time first-team All-Pro linebacker, and Adam Vinatieri, the NFL career scoring leader and All-Century team kicker.

In random selection by position, Allen’s case was presented first among the modern-era finalists. I delivered the opening five minutes and handled questions and follow-up discussions. Allen was discussed for 18 minutes, 31 seconds, sixth longest among the modern-era finalists.

Areas of emphasis included how Allen …

Ironically, some of the best arguments this year were made based on Dwight Freeney leapfrogging Allen in his second year of eligibility last year. Freeney played 16 seasons, four more than Allen, yet …

Allen had 12 more sacks, 80 more quarterback hits, 43 more tackles for loss, one more first-team All-Pro and a whopping 298 more tackles (648-350).

Freeney was joined last year by Julius Peppers, a first-ballot choice who played five more years and had one fewer first-team All-Pro selection than Allen. A year earlier, DeMarcus Ware, whose career numbers are virtually identical to Allen’s, got in on his second year of eligibility.

I asked former Vikings defensive coordinator and head coach Leslie Frazier among others to write an endorsement this year that was more detailed than others in past years when it came to describing Allen as a more complete player and not just a great pass rusher.

Frazier was fantastic about Allen being an every-down player who set the edge on five teams that ranked in the top 10 in run defense, including 2008 (No. 1) and 2009 (No. 2) — Allen’s first two years in Minnesota.

“I played with Richard Dent and coached Dwight Freeney and Von Miller, and Jared had the same identical impact in his ability to single-handedly take over a game,” Frazier said. “But the thing that separates Jared from other great pass rushers was his ability to play the run. He got 22 sacks in a season and was excellent against the run. We may never see that combination again.”

One thing is certain. Never again will anyone need to recite numbers or pound tables to justify Jared Allen’s rightful spot in Canton, Ohio.