Jared Allen unlikely to return to Vikings in 2014
By Josh Sanchez
Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen was the subject of multiple trade rumors leading up to the NFL trade deadline, but he ultimately ended up staying with the team. However, it remains highly unlikely that Allen will be able to return in 2014 once his six-year contract expires and he heads to free agency.
Allen recently discussed his future with USA Today and he seems to have already accepted that he will be looking for a new team next season.
“To be real honest, I’m going to have to look at the situation of the team,” Allen told USA TODAY Sports. “If I continue to play, you want to try to win a championship at some point. Personal accolades can only go so far.
“Wherever I go, when I retire, I’m going to call them and say, ‘Hey, let me sign a one-day contract. Minnesota will always be in my heart. But I don’t know what the future holds. We haven’t talked about it. I’m trying not to think about it.
“I don’t want to be chasing the ring. I want to earn the ring. I want to be somewhere, and obviously, you’ve got to have parts in place and you’ve got to be contenders.”
Allen will likely spend the offseason looking to join a contending team so he can earn a Super Bowl title before calling it a career, but when it is all over Allen wants to return to Minnesota and finish his career with a ceremonial contract with the team and city that he has grown to love.