Jonathan Allen (Defensive End)
Allen has established himself as a valuable interior defender over his first two NFL seasons. He recorded 61 total tackles (11 for a loss) in 2018, and his eight sacks were second on the team to four-time Pro Bowler Ryan Kerrigan. However, if Allen was not clogging running lanes or bringing down opposing quarterbacks, he said he would be serving his country. Allen comes from a military family; his father and uncle served in the United States Army, while his two brothers currently serve in the military. Allen is a notable figure signing autographs and shaking hands during the Washington Football Team's preseason Salute to Service programs and events. Striking to most, Allen can be seen addressing every uniformed service member lining the field during Washington's Salute the Troops OTA Day, Military Appreciation Day at training camp, base practice on Joint Base Andrews, and most if not all, in-season military events. "I hope I mean a lot to [service members], because what we do is nothing compared to what they have to do or go through," Allen said during Washington Football Team's Salute OTA Day in May.
"It means a lot, so I make sure I shake each one's hand individually." With the NFL's Salute to Service month in sight, Allen was most recently able to surprise a group of thirty transitioning service members at FedExField in honor of a USO Employee Readiness Workshop aimed at preparing active-duty service members for their transition into civilian professional environments on Tuesday, October 8th. He expressed his gratitude to the group for their sacrifice and service to our country.
Additionally, he highlighted two of Washington's very own, Emily Arnsberg & Charnecia McGee, who both recently transitioned out of the military after a combined 15 years of service and hold titles as FedEx Football Fellows with the organization. While presenting the two with autographed jerseys, Allen expressed, "It's important to highlight the two of you not only for your service to our country, not only for what you do for our organization, but what you experience as transitioning service members in these new roles. We appreciate everything you do."
