Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor

The Minnesota Vikings created a Ring of Honor in 1998 to honor franchise legends. Over the past 24 years, 21 players, three coaches, one general manager, and one trainer have been inducted into the prestigious group. At halftime of Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals, former defensive end Jared Allen will become the 22nd player, seventh defensive lineman, and 27th member of the Vikings Ring of Honor. 

The Vikings beat Canton to post-career honors for a player that terrorized quarterbacks during a 13-year career. The best and most important of those 13 years were the six that he played in Minnesota. Allen made the Pro Bowl four times during those six years. It should’ve been all six. He was named All-Pro three times. He was runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2011. He should’ve won the award as his 22 sacks topped all of the wonderful things that Terrell Suggs did that year. Allen was fifth in the voting for the award in 2009. His 22 sacks in 2011 were an agonizing half-sack short of the NFL record. 

His yearly sack totals for the Vikings

2008: 14.5

2009: 14.5

2010: 11

2011: 22

2012: 12

2013: 11.5

His four career safeties is an NFL record. He’s tied with three players. The Vikings got the better of the 2008 trade with the Kansas City Chiefs that brought him to Minnesota. By far. 

Allen was a fantastic football player. It was only part of what he was for the Vikings and his community. On Sunday, he will be the 27th member of the Vikings Ring of Honor. He follows the defensive tackle that he lined up next to for all of his six years in Minnesota. Kevin Williams.  

Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor

Fran Tarkenton, Quarterback (1998)

Alan Page, Defensive Tackle (1998)

Jim Finks, General Manager (1998)

Bud Grant, Head Coach (1998)

Paul Krause, Safety (1998)

Fred Zamberletti, Athletic Trainer (1998)

Jim Marshall, Defensive End (1999)

Ron Yary, Offensive Tackle (2001)

Korey Stringer, Offensive Tackle (2001)

Mick Tingelhoff, Center (2001)

Carl Eller, Defensive End (2002)

Cris Carter, Wide Receiver (2003)

Bill Brown, Fullback (2004)

Jerry Burns, Offensive Coordinator/Head Coach (2005)

Randall McDaniel, Guard (2006)

Chuck Foreman, Running Back (2007)

John Randle, Defensive Tackle (2008)

Scott Studwell, Linebacker (2009)

Chris Doleman, Defensive End (2011)

Matt Blair, Linebacker (2012)

Joey Browner, Safety (2013)

Randy Moss, Wide Receiver (2017)

Ahmad Rashad, Wide Receiver (2017)

Dennis Green, Head Coach (2018)

Steve Jordan, Tight End (2019)

Kevin Williams, Defensive Tackle (2021)

Jared Allen, Defensive End (2022)

Congratulations Jared Allen!

Next stop: Canton. He and Kevin Williams should one day be teammates there as well.