Legendary pass rusher Jared Allen was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 2, in recognition of a stellar career that spanned 12 years. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen could follow him in the future, but are the two fan favorites related?
Is Bills Star Josh Allen Related to 2025 Hall of Fame Inductee Jared Allen?
The two Allens have plenty in common. Both grew up in California, reached the highest level of football, are known to have a great sense of humor, and, most obviously, both have the last name “Allen.”
Despite the shared last name, there’s no family tie between the two. Jared was born in Dallas, Texas, and raised on a ranch in Morgan Hill, California. He attended Live Oak High School and Los Gatos High School before starring at FCS Idaho State.
After a standout four-year run at Idaho State, Allen was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He spent four seasons in Kansas City, capping his tenure with a dominant final year that earned him first-team All-Pro honors.
Allen recorded 15.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss that season, resulting in him being franchise-tagged by the Chiefs, who then traded him to the Minnesota Vikings. Allen added three more first-team All-Pro seasons to his resume in Minnesota while recording all of his all-time NFL-leading four career safeties.
Allen’s production topped out in 2011, when he recorded 22 sacks, the second most in NFL history for a single season, tied with Mark Gastineau — and later, in 2014, Justin Houston. The phenomenal pass rusher eventually went on to spend short stints with the Chicago Bears and the Carolina Panthers. His 136 career sacks rank 12th all-time.
Allen was also known for his sense of humor, with his hilarious pre-game introductions a big talking point during his Hall of Fame game interviews.
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Another Allen, known for his comical nature, is Bills quarterback Josh, whose interview from the American Century Golf Championship in Lake Tahoe will always be a favorite.
Allen still has work to do if he’s to one day reach the Hall of Fame, but he’s clearly on the right trajectory. The reigning league MVP now has his sights set on delivering Buffalo its first Super Bowl title, an achievement that would go a long way toward strengthening his case.
Though they don’t share family ties, both Allens are leaving marks that command recognition. Jared has secured his place among the legends in Canton, while Josh continues his pursuit of greatness in Buffalo. One Allen has reached football immortality, and the other may not be far behind.
