Jared Allen honored with NFL 101 award

Vikings defensive end Jared Allen was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Year as part of the NFL 101 program.

In a year that didn’t have many bright spots, Jared Allen was the exception to the rule for the 2011 Vikings. After setting a franchise record with 22 sacks and coming up just a half-sack short of the all-time single-season record, Allen was rewarded – being named NFC Defensive Player of the Year as part of the NFL 101 program.

The NFL 101 awards are voted on by 101 NFL media members and players were selected for honors from both conferences. Among the other winners were Offensive Players of the Year Aaron Rodgers from the NFC and Tom Brady from the AFC, AFC Defensive Player of the Year was awarded to Terrell Suggs and the Coaches of the Year were given to Gary Kubiak of Houston and Jim Harbaugh of San Francisco.


Allen’s remarkable 2011 season was punctuated by a big finish as he tried to run down the all-time sacks record set by Michael Strahan at 22.5, while holding off DeMarcus Ware of the Cowboys and Jason Babin of the Eagles – both of whom were right with Allen until the final week of the season.

The irony of Allen getting the NFL 101 Award is that the annual event is based out of Kansas City and part of the Chiefs Children’s Fund. Allen began his NFL career with the Chiefs and led the league in sacks in 2007, but this will be his first NFL 101 honor. Allen and the other winners will be honored at a banquet at the Westin Crown Center Hotel in Kansas City March 3.

WEDNESDAY NOTES

On Tuesday, the Bears confirmed that they denied the Vikings a chance to interview secondary coach Jon Hoke for the vacant defensive coordinator position. The Bears are building a history of denial. Last year, the Bears refused the Titans permission to interview Mike Tice for their head coaching position.

The Raiders are seeking permission to talk to Tice about the vacant head coaching position in Oakland.

While Vikings fans still feel the sting of their playoff loss to Atlanta following the 15-1 1998 season, the Packers broke new ground Sunday, being the first 15-1 team in history to bow out of the playoffs without winning a game.

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John Holler has been writing about the Vikings for more than a decade for Viking Update. Follow Viking Update on Twitter and discuss this topic on our message boards. To become a subscriber to the Viking Update web site or magazine, click here.

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