South Charlotte Today

His time with the Carolina Panthers was brief and marred by injuries, but Jared Allen, newly inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026, reflects fondly on his stint with the team. Despite suffering from a ruptured disc in his back and other injuries that limited his performance, Allen values the joy he rediscovered in football during that period.

Allen's career included successful runs with the Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings, and Chicago Bears. He led the league in sacks twice but also faced challenges such as regime changes. His move to the Panthers came after former general manager Dave Gettleman traded a conditional sixth-round pick to acquire him from the Bears on September 28, 2015.

Reflecting on his time before joining Carolina, Allen shared: "You know what, honestly, my last couple of years in Minnesota, from a fun standpoint, it wasn't that fun playing football." He described his experience in Chicago similarly: "I just wanted to have fun. I wanted to win football games and have fun playing."

Despite enduring significant physical pain while with the Panthers—playing through a ruptured L5 disc and a broken foot—Allen found joy again. "When I would come home...we were having fun. Like football was fun again," he recalled.

The Panthers' successful season helped foster this positive environment. The team went 15-1 and featured prominent players like Cam Newton and Thomas Davis. For Allen, being part of such a dynamic group made for an enjoyable experience.

"It was humbling because it was the worst year I had, but the most success I've ever had playing football because I got to play in the Super Bowl," Allen said. He appreciated ending his career on a high note: "So for me to have my final year...we were just having fun playing football."

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