Jared Allen says Vikings loss to Eagles 'was heartbreaking'

Ron Clements

Jared Allen says Vikings loss to Eagles 'was heartbreaking' image

Vikings fans weren’t the only ones disappointed their team missed out on playing the Super Bowl inside their own stadium.

Former Vikings players like Jared Allen, who spent six of his 12 NFL seasons in Minnesota, were also dejected when the Eagles cruised to a 38-7 win over the Vikings in the NFC championship game.

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"It was a sad day," Allen told Omnisport Thursday. "After the Saints win, everybody was uplifted and, like, ‘Oh, my goodness, this could be one of those years.’

"To not quite make it was heartbreaking. We were all excited and hoping to come support them in their quest for that elusive Lombardi Trophy.

"To be the first team to play the Super Bowl in your hometown would have been awesome."

Allen was a fourth-round pick of the Chiefs in the 2004 NFL Draft, but joined the Vikings in 2008. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in four of his six seasons with the Vikings before finishing his career with the Bears and Panthers.

He went to his only Super Bowl with the Panthers, who fell short against the Broncos in Super Bowl 50.

"Hindsight’s always 20/20, but if I could go back, I would enjoy the process more," Allen said of his Super Bowl experience. "I put some much focus on trying to treat it like just another game...

"Looking back, despite losing, it was still a phenomenal experience to play in Super Bowl 50, back in my hometown and the Bay Area. But, yeah, if I could redo it, I would have been a little more laxed and enjoyed the whole process."

As for this season’s Super Bowl between the Eagles and Patriots, Allen will be at a Super Bowl party like most people and had one suggestion for party hosts.

"It’s actually the polite thing to do to keep some Febreze in your house so you don’t make your guests feel awkward," Allen said. "In most houses, the guest bathroom is close to the living room, so keep some Febreze on hand. If it gets messy, some Mr. Clean and clean that right up."

Allen joked that NFL teams should always have plenty of Febreze at the facility to prepare for the Bathroom Blitz.

"You get a locker room of 53 to 61 big dudes, I’m not gonna lie, the bathrooms aren’t going to smell great," Allen quipped. "They should be stocking up."

Allen finished his career with 136 sacks — good for 11th all-time. While sacking "the top guys" like Tom Brady, Brett Favre and Peyton Manning stand out, Allen is "haunted" by the ones who got away.

"I missed two sacks on Doug Flutie. That really breaks my heart," Allen said. "I hit him square in the back and I thought he was going down, but he ducked and I slid right over the top of him. Then I had a free run at him and he spun out the back door on me and ended up getting a touchdown."

Allen, who retired following the 2015 season and now lives in Nashville, said he hasn’t thought much about the Hall of Fame given his impressive sack total.

"My goal was to be top 5, so I focus more on the sacks that I missed over the years," said Allen, who will be eligible for the Hall in 2021. "I had a great 12 years and was able to accomplish a lot of things. The Hall of Fame is, obviously, the best individual honor you could ever get.

"My part’s over. My resume is out there. It is what it is. There are so many great players. You just look at the class in my year of eligibility — Charles Woodson, Peyton Manning, Calvin Johnson — and those are just the first-time-eligible guys. You don’t know who the holdovers are going to be.

"There are so many great players and just to be mentioned among them is really an honor for me. If it happens, it’s phenomenal. I’m not going to cry if it doesn’t. If people think the body of work is good enough, I will gladly accept that and probably with tears in my eyes.

"I don’t sit around and count the days. That wasn’t why I played. The ultimate reason I played was because I love the game, the respect of my competitors and the people who came before me… If I wind up with a Hall of Fame jacket, then hallelujah."

Ron Clements