Jared Allen is making some comments to spice up Sunday’s game between the 0-3 Vikings and 0-3 Chiefs.
In a conference call with the Kansas City media, Allen explained why he was traded from the Chiefs, where he played his first four NFL seasons, to the Vikings in 2008.
“His name was Carl Peterson. You can write that in caps,” Allen said, referring to the former Chiefs general manager.
Allen said both Peterson and Chiefs owner Clark Hunt lied to him about what their plans were for offering him a new contract.
“Obviously, I had a problem with Clark Hunt, too, because he chose Carl over me, huh? When everything went down there, I didn’t appreciate being lied to,” Allen said. “I was told I’d get [a contract] extension and everything, and the way things played out, my biggest thing was, ‘Listen, I don’t lie to you guys. I show up and bust my tail for you. Don’t lie to me.’ . . . It’s tough to go and give your all for someone like that.”
Allen has been a phenomenal player for the Vikings, with 44.5 sacks since they acquired him, and he has shown no signs of slowing down -- he absolutely dominated Lions left tackle Jeff Backus on Sunday. So that trade certainly worked out well for Minnesota.
But in fairness to the Chiefs, Allen’s off-field problems were a significant part of the reason they weren’t willing to give him a big long-term contract. Allen’s multiple drunk driving arrests had already led to one NFL suspension, and it was reasonable for the Chiefs to wonder if he could clean up his act -- which, by all appearances, he has.
And in fairness to Peterson, he’s the man who recognized Allen’s talent when Allen was a little-known defensive lineman coming out of Idaho State in the 2004 NFL draft.
But Allen has undoubtedly used what he perceives as a slap in the face from the Chiefs to motivate him in his time as a Viking. And he’ll be particularly motivated when he returns to Kansas City on Sunday.