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Longtime Minnesota Vikings announcer Paul Allen said he is taking a few days off from his radio show after making comments about “paid protesters” on Friday.
KFAN’s Allen wondered if those protesting in the extreme cold were getting hazard pay.
“In situations like these, do paid protesters get hazard pay? Those are the things I’ve been thinking about this morning,” Allen said Friday.
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Minnesota Vikings play-by-play announcer Paul Allen walks onto the field before an NFL game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida on November 10, 2024. (Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Allen again referred to the paid protesters when he mentioned people catching strays.
“Everybody catches strays this week. (Vikings defensive coordinator Brian) Flores, Kevin Stefanski of Baker (Mayfield), Charlie ‘Biyatch’ caught one out of nowhere. They’re just over, paid protesters caught one this morning,” Allen said, referring to his earlier comments.
Allen’s comments came before a Border Patrol-involved shooting left one dead in Minnesota over the weekend. He wrote about the shooting on Saturday.
“I need to stop watching all this for a bit. I’m so sad that this terror is happening all around us here in MN,” Allen wrote on X.
BRUCE PEARL RIVER TIM WALZ, DEMOCRAT AFTER MINNESOTA SHOOTING INVOLVED WITH BORDER PATROL
Minnesota Vikings radio commentator Paul Allen watches before the NFL game between the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota on January 4, 2026. (Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“I was just praying to the will of God that it would somehow stop and now and started crying. I’m really sorry that everyone has hurt like me through this and I just want us to be a covenant of love again. Really. Let’s all pray for this to stop somehow because it’s horrible. And no more cheap one-liners from me.”
He opened Monday’s show with an apology.
“Good morning. I made a comment on air Friday about protesters and the weather that was insensitive and poorly timed. And I’m sorry. It was a misguided attempt at humor. And while it was never intended with any malice or political offense, I absolutely and wholeheartedly apologize to those who were genuinely hurt or offended by it,” Allen said.
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Minnesota Vikings radio announcer Paul Allen (left) greets general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (right) before the preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota on August 10, 2024. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
“‘Nine-to-Noon’ doesn’t make political opinions. We don’t bash or praise political discussions or even focus on political issues. This time slot has always been a sports-centric space built to entertain, a place where we chat about sports, offer an escape from the heavy stuff, and give listeners the distraction they need from everything else going on. Like I haven’t done before, we haven’t done it before. Good luck and thanks for counting on us as long as you do has it means more than you’ll ever know.”
“My best was missing Friday and I’m sorry. I’m taking a few days off, but wanted to express these thoughts and my sincere apologies with you before I do. We thank our friend Paul Charchian for handling ‘Nine to Noon’ today.”
KFAN has not said whether Allen was disciplined for the comment. He has been with KFAN since 1998 and has been the Vikings radio play-by-play announcer since 2002.
