JARED ALLEN hasn’t wasted much time since riding into the sunset in February after 12 NFL seasons. From making sure he’s staying in shape to improving his golf game, Allen is keeping life interesting without putting on pads on Sunday afternoons. After playing for the Chiefs, Vikings, Bears and Panthers, Allen has found a new passion with the Professional Bull Riders. This weekend he’s flying to Charlotte, where he played for the Panthers last year, to help support the PBR Charlotte Invitational at Time Warner Cable Arena. Allen wears many different hats for the PBR these days, doing everything from acting as an ambassador to owning his own team and even helping to raise the bulls themselves. Par for the course for the former NFL sack leader.
OLD STOMPING GROUND: I'm coming in Thursday to tear it up with some old friends in Carolina, then Friday morning, I’m shaking hands and kissing babies. I consider myself an ambassador for PBR -- I’ve always been a fan. Friday morning I’ll be at the bull weigh-in, then I’ve got media stuff later in the morning, a photo shoot around noon and also some good old meet and greets. The ole dog and pony show so to speak. Our bulls will be bucking on Friday and hopefully they do well. Saturday morning I’ll be on a plane to Arizona getting ready to head back to my own babies.
THE GOOD LIFE: Every day is a weekend when you’re retired. Honestly, my weekends these days are all about my family. We’ll take play-cations here and there, hang out, play a little golf and fire up the grill for a barbecue. Good old family life, that’s what I’m about now. I try to work out as little as I can, but I’ll go mountain biking, that’s kind of my new deal. The old joke is the best way to get skinny when you retire is to lose muscle. The muscle weighs more than fat, so if you lose muscle you get lighter.
KEEPING TABS: I obviously still have a lot of good friends on the Panthers, so I’ll keep my eyes on them this year. The Vikings obviously -- Minnesota will always be where my heart is. I always wish them well, and I like to see the Chiefs play, as that was where I got drafted. I’m hoping that one particular team grows on me so I can be a true fan but it’s hard living out here in Arizona because the Cardinals’ stadium is just too far from me. So this year I’ll pretty much just be rooting for my buddies who are still playing for various teams.
FAMILY MAN: The number one thing I always make time for on the weekends are the wife and kids. We like to watch “REVENGE,” “SCANDAL” and “HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER.” I recently started watching “THE RANCH” on Netflix and that’s a good one, too. Guilty pleasures these days are any type of food that tastes good. My family, we enjoy good food. I’m a sucker for ice cream. Total cheat day if I’m caught eating ice cream.
