KC Wolf
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2019
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At a time when many people are exhausting the supply of content of their streaming services (or if you’re old your VHS collection), former NFL defensive end Jared Allen isn’t jonesing to watch the NFL Draft three weeks from tonight.
In fact, the former Chiefs and Vikings star (who finished up with the Bears and Panthers), isn’t a big fan of the only live sports-adjacent show on television.
Asked if he planned to watch the proceedings by Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Allen replied: “I do not.”
“I know the kids being drafted are having the time of their life, . . .” he said, leaving the unspoken “but” hanging there, “I think the draft is probably the most boring thing to put on TV imaginable.
“I guess I’ve never been a big fan of sitting there and getting all crazy and ecstatic about a guy who hasn’t done a single thing in the NFL yet.”
The 37-year-old Allen’s dim view of the annual selection meeting is doubtless colored by his own experience.
He was a fourth-round pick from Idaho State, who went on to play 12 years in the league and collect 136 sacks, so clearly he comes from a perspective that this is all something less than science. As a result, he doesn’t believe the coronavirus-caused restrictions on pre-draft travel and pro days and interviews will prevent teams from drafting well.
“Well,” Allen said, “the NFL today is known for overthinking things. We have meetings about meetings. I personally don’t think the team visits mean much. They’re still able to talk to guys on the phone. You’re going to be able to do video conferences. You have all the tape on these guys. Teams already know all the red flags. They got all the info at the combine before everything got shut down.
“To be honest with you, I don’t think this will impact the [long-term success of a team’s] draft in any way.”
But either way, he won’t be watching it, even if that’s not a widely held opinion in the football world.