Alabama Football: Former Tide lineman gets paid second contract
By Dakota Cox
Alabama football has plenty of players making all sorts of money
In the NFL, true success is defined by your second contract. It’s one thing to be drafted high and to make a ton of money, but few players prove themselves to be worth a massive second contract. A few Alabama football players in the past have done so. Eddie Jackson, Marlon Humphrey, Derrick Henry, Landon Collins, Julio Jones and CJ Mosley come to mind. After a great start to his career, Jonathan Allen can add his name to that list.
Allen signed a 4-year, $72 million extension with the Washington Football Team that includes $30 million as a signing bonus. This will keep him in Washington for the foreseeable future as he develops into an even better talent.
Allen was one of the best defensive linemen in Alabama football history. His Tide career ended with 28 sacks and two touchdowns over four years.
In his four years with Washington, Allen has 17 sacks and has started in all of his 52 games played. He also has 45 career QB pressures on the best defensive line in the NFL.
Allen is a pivotal piece to Washington’s future on defense. They have drafted plenty of talented linemen, but Allen has the most experience on the roster.
Allen plays alongside Da’Ron Payne, another former Alabama football player. This pairing has paid off for WFT, and adding Chase Young to the equation put them over the top. They were the strength of Washington’s roster last year, and they will likely be the same this season.
This contract gives Allen security for the rest of his life. He’s already succeeded. Regardless of future play or health, he has secured a massive contract that will be hard to void for a few seasons. As he continues to develop, his value will grow beyond the numbers in the books for Washington.