Carolina Panthers defensive end Jared Allen has chosen an appropriate way to announce his retirement.
Allen posted a 20-second video on Twitter, donning a fur jacket and a cowboy hat while riding a horse in the middle of a snowy field. Allen begins by thanking everyone for the support over his 12-year career, and says he made the video with the hopes of literally riding his horse into the sunset. Without a sunset, he says “seeing as there’s no sunset, I’m just going to ride off.”
https://twitter.com/JaredAllen69/status/700340328729935872
Allen also released a statement through his agent, saying he couldn’t be more grateful for his NFL memories.
“I want to take this time to thank my family, friends fans, and teammates who have given their continued support throughout my 12 year career,” Allen said in a statement distributed by his agent, Ken Harris. “It’s been a great ride for me, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the memories. It is with a great deal of thought and consideration, that I have decided that I will not return to football next year. I want to thank the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings and the Kansas City Chiefs organizations, who provided me with an opportunity to live out my dream and to be a part of their wonderful communities. Thanks for the life long memories.”
Allen enjoyed a very good NFL career, appearing in 187 games split between the Chiefs, Vikings, Bears, and Panthers. He achieved his most dominant seasons in Minnesota, including a 22 sack 2011 season, which helped him set the NFL record for consecutive games with a sack with 11. He led the NFL sacks in both 2007 and 2011.
The video is fitting as the usually outspoken Allen is a huge fan of hunting and wildlife. He’s a self-described farm boy, and has appeared in hunting videos, including one where he succesfully spears an elk. He also seemed like a genuinely good guy off the field, using his time in the offseason to help build homes for wounded veterans, through his Home For Wounded Warriors program.
Allen is a solid bet to get Hall of Fame recognition when he’s eligible as he enjoyed an amazing career.
