When considering his new home in the NFL, former Washington Commanders Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jonathan Allen was looking for culture.
With that in mind, it’s no surprise he found his way to the Minnesota Vikings.
Signing a three-year, $51 million contract with the Vikings in March, Allen enters a Vikings organization that received rousing praise in the 2025 NFL Players Association (NFLPA) Team Report Card, grading out as No. 2 among all teams for their facilities, head coach, ownership and treatment of players’ families.
The Vikings have maintained that supporting their players is the best recipe for success. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has cultivated a culture of winning, securing multiple 13-plus win seasons in two of his first three seasons — one of only three coaches in NFL history to achieve that feat.
When speaking on his biggest reason for signing with the Vikings, Allen cited culture before calling out the poor motivation from his past teams.
“When I was going into free agency, I told myself that I want to choose a team that has an established culture,” Allen said on an April 3 appearance on “The Green Light with Chris Long” podcast. “I’m sure you know, there’s nothing worse than going to work and being around the guys who are only there to collect the paycheck, only there for their own personal numbers.”
The 17th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Allen spent eight seasons with the Washington Commanders. He will slot in as a starter alongside nose tackle Harrison Phillips and across from former San Francisco 49ers Pro Bowl defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, who signed a two-year, $30 million deal in March.
The Hargrave and Allen signings were upside signings for the Vikings, who bet on both players after they missed significant time in 2024. Hargrave suffered a torn tricep in Week 3, while Allen suffered a torn pectoral muscle injury in Week 6.
If the duo can stay healthy, their presence will pay dividends for a defense that hopes to create more interior pressure. In separate defenses, Allen and Hargrave 113 combined pressures from the 2023 season.
