Why did Dwight Freeney make the Hall of Fame over Jared Allen?

Ignore the head-to-head record, which doesn't matter at all. The key stat to me is that in 31 fewer games, Allen had 10.5 more sacks than Freeney. One played 16 seasons and one played 12, which shouldn't necessarily be a point in Freeney's favor. Allen also had 200 more solo tackles (and 43 more total tackles for loss). He was a first team All-Pro four times, while Freeney had three first-team nods and one second-team appearance.

This comparison is not intended to discredit Freeney, who had a phenomenal career and is deserving of being in the Hall of Fame. His 47 forced fumbles, tied for third-most in NFL history, is an incredible stat (although Allen makes up for it a bit in this comparison with interceptions and fumble recoveries). As an undersized defensive end, Freeney's iconic spin move was lethal. It's just an intriguing comparison between a pair of pass-rushing legends. And it's certainly true that numbers aren't everything; maybe there are those who would make a case that Freeney had more of an impact beyond the box score. I'm not sure.

What it probably comes down to is that Freeney has a Super Bowl ring and Allen doesn't. By virtue of playing with Peyton Manning for much of his career, Freeney appeared in far more playoff games (22 to 7) than Allen did. That stands out in voters' minds. He wins in longevity, forced fumbles, and Pro Bowls, but that championship and a generally bigger stage for his career feels like the biggest difference-maker.

Is that fair? I don't know. It seems a bit silly to discredit Allen for only having one full season with a Hall of Fame quarterback (2009) instead of nearly a decade. But that's just how these things go sometimes.

The overall point is this: If Freeney is in, Allen should be in too. He'll presumably be a finalist for a fifth consecutive year in 2025, although the odds seem stacked against next year being his year. Other 2024 finalists who didn't get in include Antonio Gates, Torry Holt, Reggie Wayne, and Darren Woodson. Joining the ballot as first-time eligibles are guys like Luke Kuechly, Terrell Suggs, Adam Vinatieri, Marshal Yanda, Earl Thomas, and Eli Manning.

Allen's window might be 2026. If Kuechly and Suggs get in on the first ballot next year, Allen would be left as the best front seven player in '26, a year where Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald are the biggest names among first-time eligibles.