Jared Allen has announced that he will retire from the NFL after 12 seasons with four different franchises. He took to Twitter early Thursday morning and announced his decision in only a way he could. He posted a video riding a horse into the distance.  He began his career with the Kansas City Chiefs and ended it by making the Super Bowl this year as a member of the Carolina Panthers.

In a statement released by his agent Allen said:

"I want to take this time to thank my family, friends fans, and teammates who have given their continued support throughout my 12-year career. It’s been a great ride for me, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the memories. It is with a great deal of thought and consideration, that I have decided that I will not return to football next year. I want to thank the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings and the Kansas City Chiefs organizations, who provided me with an opportunity to live out my dream and to be a part of their wonderful communities. Thanks for the lifelong memories."

Humble Beginnings

Allen was originally a fourth-round pick out of Idaho State in 2004 and was drafted by the Chiefs. Allen played in Kansas City for four seasons but began his rise to stardom in 2008 when he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings by the Chiefs. 

Rise to Stardom

Allen became an instant defensive play maker with the Vikings as he was constantly in the backfield racking up sacks. He finishes his tremendous career with 136 sacks (tied for ninth all time).

Rob Tringali - SportsChrome/Getty Images
Rob Tringali - SportsChrome/Getty Images

His career season came in 2011 when Allen posted an amazing 22 sacks and four forced fumbles. 2011 was during a streak of seven straight years with at least 11 sacks.

His time in Minnesota eventually flamed out and Allen joined the Chicago Bears as a free agent in 2014. But Allen was no longer the elite player he once was and he was traded in early 2015 to the Panthers.

End of a Career

Allen was limited to only two sacks in 12 games this season with the Panthers but came back from a foot injury suffered in the divisional round to start in Super Bowl 50. It was Allen's first and only Super Bowl appearance in his final NFL game.

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About the author
Norman Tall
Norman Is a writer who mostly covers NFL.( A lot of New York Giants) Also enjoys watching Hockey.