One of the key contributors to the Los Angeles Rams’ Super Bowl-winning team is stepping away from the game.
After several seasons with the Rams, center Brian Allen, who briefly signed with the Cleveland Browns before the 2024 NFL season but was sidelined by injury, has officially announced his retirement on Wednesday.
Allen was selected by the Rams in the fourth round with the 111th overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, a selection acquired in the famed Robert Quinn trade. He went on to take over as the starting center in 2019, following the departure of veteran John Sullivan.
Before the start of the 2020 regular season, Allen was forced to miss the entire campaign after becoming the first NFL player to test positive for COVID-19, and injuries soon followed.
Despite struggling with injuries in the later years of his career, Allen’s best season came in 2021, when he started 16 of 17 games at center. His exceptional play as a run blocker and in pass protection earned him a Pro Bowl alternate nod, and he was rewarded with a three-year, $24 million extension.
Unfortunately, after signing the extension, Allen was never able to start more than seven games in a season. Still, hats off to a solid career for the Rams Super Bowl champ.