An accomplished interior defensive lineman at both the collegiate and NFL level, Allen joined the Bengals during the 2026 free agency period ... He enters his 10th NFL season in 2026, bringing 126 games (125 starts) of pro playing experience to Cincinnati's D-line room ... Career totals include 469 tackles (270 solos), 67 TFLs, 45.5 sacks, five PDs, one INT, two FFs and three FRs ... His 45.5 sacks are the eighth-most by a DT since he entered the NFL in 2017 ... Spent first eight seasons (2017-24) with Washington, before playing for Minnesota in '25 ... Also has seen action in four postseason contests and helped lead Commanders to NFC Championship Game following 2024 campaign ... He is a two-time Pro Bowler (2021-22), and was Washington's nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in '20 and '21 seasons ... As a senior at the University of Alabama in 2016, he earned several awards as college football's top defensive player, was a unanimous first-team All-American and was the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year ... Won national championship with the Crimson Tide in 2015 season.
Career transactions: Selected by Washington in first round of NFL Draft (17th overall) on 4-27-17 ... Signed with Washington on 5-11-17 ... Washington exercised team option on 4-27-20 to extend rookie contract by one year through 2021 ... Signed contract extension with Washington on 7-28-21 ... Contract terminated by Washington on 3-7-25 ... Signed with Minnesota as free agent on 3-12-25 ... Contract terminated b y Vikings on 3-11-26 ... Signed with Cincinnati as free agent on 3-13-26.
2017—Played and started five games as a rookie DE for Washington, before suffering season-ending foot injury in Game 5 vs. San Francisco ... Spent final 11 games on Reserve/Injured list ... Recorded 10 tackles with one sack ... Started in NFL debut on Sept. 10 vs. Philadelphia and had four tackles ... Registered first two career half-sacks on Sept. 24 vs. Oakland, helping bring down QB Derek Carr for loss of six yards in first quarter and loss of eight yards in third quarter.
2018—Started all 16 games for Washington (14 at DE, two at DT) ... Totaled 61 tackles (35 solos), with 11 TFLs and eight sacks ... Notched first two career full sacks on Sept. 23 vs. Green Bay, with seven-yard takedowns of QB Aaron Rodgers in the first and fourth quarters ... Posted season-high 10 tackles on Nov. 22 at Dallas (Thanksgiving), including sack for seven-yard loss on third down to force Cowboys punt ... Had two sacks on Dec. 16 at Jacksonville.
2019—Started 15 games for Washington (14 at DT, one at DE) ... Inactive for Game 2 vs. Dallas due to knee injury ... Recorded 68 tackles (46 solos), seven TFLs, six sacks, one PD and one FR ... Notched two sacks on Oct. 13 at Miami, bringing down QB Josh Rosen in first and third quarters; both sacks came on third down to force Dolphins punts ... Had first career FR on Dec. 15 vs. Philadelphia, jumping on fumble in fourth quarter to set up go-ahead FG drive for Washington ... Posted eight tackles with a sack in regular-season finale on Dec. 29 at Dallas.
2020—Started all 16 regular-season games and one postseason game at DT for Washington ... Totaled 63 tackles (36 solos), three TFLs, two sacks and one FR ... Logged season-high nine tackles with a sack on Sept. 27 at Cleveland; brought down QB Baker Mayfield for five-yard loss on third down to force Browns punt in first quarter ... On Nov. 26 at Dallas (Thanksgiving), recovered a fumble at Cowboys' 33-yard line to set up Washington FG drive in third quarter ... Started in postseason debut, an NFC Wild Card Playoff on Jan. 9 vs. Tampa Bay, and logged one solo tackle.
2021—Started all 17 games at DT for Washington ... Amassed 62 tackles (31 solos), with 10 TFLs and career-high nine sacks ... Earned first career Pro Bowl selection ... Led Washington defense that ranked eighth in NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (104.4) ... His nine sacks tied for third-most among NFL DTs ... Had sack in season opener on Sept. 12 vs. L.A. Chargers, bringing down QB Justin Herbert for loss of three yards ... Followed up with two sacks on Sept. 16 vs. N.Y. Giants ... Notched two sacks on Oct. 24 at Green Bay, taking down QB Aaron Rodgers for loss of 13 yards in first quarter and four yards in second quarter.
2022—Started 16 games at DT for Washington ... Inactive for season finale on Jan. 8 vs. Dallas due to knee injury ... Recorded 65 tackles (44 solos), career-high 16 TFLs, 7.5 sacks, three PDs, one INT and two FFs ... Named to Pro Bowl for second straight season ... On Oct. 13 at Chicago, recorded first career INT in first quarter, picking off QB Justin Fields and returning it five yards, then had first career FF in fourth quarter on strip-sack ... Posted two sacks on Nov. 20 at Houston ... Logged eight tackles, one sack and one FF on Dec. 4 at N.Y. Giants; forced Giants fumble on third play from scrimmage, leading to Washington recovery.
2023—Started 16 games at DT for Washington ... Missed one game (Game 17) due to knee injury ... Tallied 53 tackles (30 solos), with 10 TFLs and 5.5 sacks ... Added one PD ... Posted four tackles with a sack in season opener on Sept. 10 vs. Arizona, bringing down QB Joshua Dobbs for eight-yard loss in fourth quarter ... Had season-high seven tackles, including a sack for five-yard loss, on Oct. 5 vs. Chicago ... Notched 1.5 sacks on Nov. 19 vs. N.Y. Giants, including full sack on third down to force punt in third quarter.
2024—Played in eight regular-season games with seven starts at DT for Washington ... Spent nine games on Reserve/Injured due to pectoral injury ... Totaled 19 tackles (16 solos), with three sacks ... Had sacks in back-to-back games on Sept. 29 at Arizona and Oct. 6 vs. Cleveland ... Returned from injury on Dec. 29 vs. Atlanta and logged one tackle ... Started three postseason games, recording six tackles with one TFL ... Logged five tackles with a TFL in NFC Championship on Jan. 26 at Philadelphia.
2025—Started all 17 games at DT in lone season with Minnesota ... Registered 68 tackles (29 solos), with seven TFLs and 3.5 sacks ... Added one FR, jumping on loose ball on Sept. 21 vs. Cincinnati to set up FG drive late in second quarter ... Recorded first full sack of season on Oct. 23 at L.A. Chargers, bringing down QB Justin Herbert for eight-yard loss in fourth quarter ... Had a sack for six-yard loss on Dec. 21 at N.Y. Giants and finished with season-high eight tackles.
Pro Bowl participation: Selected to NFC roster and participated in Pro Bowl Games following the 2021 and '22 seasons.
College: Spent four seasons (2013-16) at Alabama ... Played in 57 career games, totaling 154 tackles (78 solos), 45 TFLs, 28.5 sacks, seven pass breakups and three FFs ... Finished career ranking second in career sacks in school history ... As a senior and team captain in 2016, he earned the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (nation's best defensive player), Chuck Bednarik Award (nation's best defensive player), and Ted Hendricks Award (nation's best DE), was named a unanimous first-team All-American (AP), first-team All-SEC and the SEC Defensive Player of the Year ... Senior season totals included 69 tackles, 16 TFLs, 10.5 sacks (led team), three FRs (two returned for a TD), and a blocked FG ... Also earned first-team All-SEC honors in sophomore (2014) and junior ('15) seasons ... Helped lead Crimson Tide to three College Football Playoff appearances (2014-16), including national title in '15 season.
High school/personal: Hometown is Ashburn, Va. (west of Washington, D.C.) ... Attended Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn ... In 2012 senior season, he was named the Gatorade Virginia Football Player of the Year, a first-team Parade All-American and second-team USA Today All-American ... Senior campaign totals included 119 tackles, nine sacks, six FRs and six blocked kicks ... Named first-team all-state and Washington Post All-Metro in each of final two seasons ... Majored in financial planning and consumer affairs at Alabama ... Was named Washington's Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee for 2020 and '21 seasons ... Father, Richard Allen II, was a nuclear biological chemical warfare specialist in the U.S. Army ... He and his wife, Hannah, have a daughter.
