Vikings' Jared Allen again among 15 Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists

Jared Allen, one of the more persistent pass rushers in NFL history, is back bullrushing the doorstep to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a finalist for the third straight year, the Hall announced Wednesday night as it unveiled the 15 modern-era finalists that will be considered for the Class of 2023.

"It would mean so much, but it's something that's out of my control," said Allen, the former Viking who joined the team's Ring of Honor this season. "You have to be patient and honor the process because it's amazing just to be on the list of finalists. I'm hoping for the best."

Joining Allen as finalists in their first year of eligibility are Colts edge rusher Dwight Freeney, Browns left tackle Joe Thomas and Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis. The other finalists are: Bengals right tackle Willie Anderson, Bears kick returner Devin Hester, Rams receiver Torry Holt, Texans receiver Andre Johnson, Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas, Cowboys and Broncos edge rusher DeMarcus Ware, Colts receiver Reggie Wayne, 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis, Cowboys safety Darren Woodson, Buccaneers cornerback Ronde Barber and Chiefs cornerback Albert Lewis, who retired in 1998 and is a finalist for the first time in his final year as a modern-era candidate.

The Hall's 49-member selection committee will meet virtually this month to pick the Class of 2023. Also being considered at that time are three senior finalists — Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley, Jets defensive lineman Joe Klecko and Bengals cornerback Ken Riley — and one coach/contributor finalist, Cardinals and Chargers coach and offensive innovator Don Coryell.

Selectors will vote yes or no on the senior and coach/contributor finalists, with 80% yes votes needed for induction. Selectors will then cut the modern-era list from 15 to 10 and then 10 to five. The final five receive yes or no votes with 80% yes votes needed for induction.

Allen finds himself in a positional logjam with Freeney and Ware, who's a finalist for the second straight year. Ware made the final 10 last year. Allen didn't make the final 10 in his first two times as a finalist.

Ware ranks ninth on the NFL's official career sack list with 138 ½, while Allen ranks 12th with 136 and Freeney 18th with 125 ½.

Freeney, however, won a Super Bowl and was a member of the NFL's All-Decade first team of the 2000s. Ware also won a Super Bowl and was second-team All-Decade in the 2000s. Allen didn't make an All-Decade team and lost in his only Super Bowl appearance as a Panther to Ware's Broncos. That was Allen's final NFL game.

Freeney played 16 seasons (2002-17) for six teams. He was first-team All-Pro three times.

Ware played 12 seasons (2005-16). He was first-team All-Pro four times.

Allen played 12 seasons (2004-15) for the Chiefs (2004-07), Vikings (2008-13), Bears (2014-15) and Panthers (2015). He was first-team All-Pro four times, three with the Vikings.

One reason Allen didn't make an All-Decade team is that his career started in the middle of one decade and ended in the middle of the next. His decade of dominance came from 2004-13 when he led the league in sacks with 128 ½ (Ware was second with 117).

Allen was a fourth-round pick of the Chiefs in 2004. In 2007, his last year with Kansas City, he was first-team All-Pro and led the league in sacks with 15 ½ while playing only 14 games due to a league suspension.

Concerned about Allen's character, the Chiefs shipped him to the Vikings for a first-round pick and two third-round picks before the 2008 draft. He never missed a game as a Viking. He had 85 ½ sacks in 96 games and helped the Vikings to the playoffs in 2008, 2009 and 2012. He also had an NFL-leading and Vikings team-record 22 sacks in 2011 and became the 27th member of the Vikings Ring of Honor on Oct. 30, 2022.