Jared Allen scripts an exit that puts him back in purple with the Vikings

When Jerry Rice signed a one-day contract to officially retire as a 49er in 2006, the legendary receiver reportedly inked a ceremonial deal "worth" $1,985,806.49.

The "1985" signified Rice's rookie season. The "80" was his jersey number. The "06" was the year. And the "49" represented the 49ers.

Jared Allen hadn't thought quite that deeply before putting pen to paper to officially retire as a Viking on Thursday.

"I got the league minimum and I was trying to get a one-day advance," joked Allen, the former and now technically current Vikings defensive end through Friday. "I guess I didn't put that much effort into it."

But the 12-year veteran did put enough "blood, sweat and tears" into his six-year stint as a Viking to know he wanted to officially retire in purple. It was a mutual decision he reached with General Manager Rick Spielman before Allen and the team parted in 2014.

Some players have been doing these one-day signings since at least 1994, when Roger Craig retired as a 49er after two seasons as a Viking. Former Viking Pat Williams did it in 2013, even though he hadn't played anywhere else after his last snap with the Vikings in 2010.

Allen was in his fourth season in Kansas City when he led the NFL in sacks in 2007. But his relationship with the Chiefs had deteriorated when Spielman moved in to orchestrate a trade before the 2008 draft.

At the time, it was considered a risky move. Known as a wild child, Allen already had served a two-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy and was at risk of a yearlong suspension for another offense.

All he did was grow up and become a team leader while starting 100 consecutive games, including four in the playoffs. As a Viking, he posted 83 ½ of his 136 career sacks, including a franchise-record 22 in 2011, made three of his five Pro Bowls and received two of his four first-team All-Pro honors.

"You go through life and there are maturation processes, right?" Allen said. "We made some mistakes earlier in my career. You learn from those and you grow from them. I was able to do that, and Minnesota was a place that helped me grow as a man."

Allen credited coaches with helping him mature, team chaplain Tom Lamphere for strengthening his faith and some high-character, "solid family dudes" as examples to follow in the locker room.

Allen also spent four seasons in Kansas City, a little over a year in Chicago and finally reached the Super Bowl with Carolina after arriving via trade from the Bears during the 2015 season.