Paul Allen has been the Minnesota Vikings radio voice for more than two decades, but he was thrust into internet fame after his thrilling performance Sunday afternoon in Buffalo.
Allen became the Minnesota Vikings play-by-play announcer in 2002 and also serves as the longtime midday host of local sports radio station KFAN. While he’s well-known in Minnesota, Allen’s fame went national this week after he called the Vikings-Bills matchup that has been widely dubbed the NFL’s game of the year.
Following the game, the Vikings shared a highlight reel of Allen’s calls that went viral, garnering praise from a wide variety of sports personalities including LeBron James and Pat McAfee. After initially tweeting, “I didn’t know this incredible human existed until now… I feel as if I’ve missed out on so much electricity,” McAfee devoted a segment of his Thursday show to his newfound appreciation of Paul Allen.
“I was attacked by some people because I didn’t know of his existence,” McAfee said. “I had no idea that this man’s hair was fantastic, that his ability to tell a story was this good, this motherfucker deserves a lot more recognition…his brain to mouth, top of the line.”
Allen has been calling Vikings games for 20 years, but the long flow is a more recent phenomenon. McAfee and most NFL fans may not have known Paul Allen’s name or hairstyle, but they most certainly heard his voice over the last two decades.
Among his more famous calls, Allen ripped into Brett Favre for throwing a brutal interception during the 2009 NFC Championship game and he was behind the mic for the “Minneapolis Miracle” thrown by former Vikings quarterback Case Keenum during the NFL Playoffs in 2018. One of Allen’s more infamous calls occurred last year, when he called a potentially game-tying field goal for the Vikings “GOOOOODDD,” even though it sailed wide right as time expired.
For as much energy, passion, and fandom that Allen exudes on a weekly basis, he also manages to keep his calls clear, smooth and crisp. Allen has been a tremendous NFL voice for decades and it’s great to see LeBron James’ new friend garner some national attention.
About Brandon Contes
Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com