Jonathan Allen has had an incredible career at the University of Alabama, and now the award-winning defensive end is saying goodbye to Bama and Tuscaloosa in a moving open letter.

Allen joined the Tide as a five-star recruit in 2013. In his four years at Alabama, he won three straight SEC Championships and the College Football Playoff Championship in 2015. In 2016, Allen received the Bronko Nagurski Award, the Chuck Bednarik Award, and the Ted Hendricks Award; he was also named a unanimous All-American and a First Team SEC player.

Allen published a farewell letter with The Players Tribune yesterday. In it, he shares memories of being recruited by Coach Nick Saban as well as the one moment that impacted him the most during his career with the Tide--losing the National Championship Game to Clemson this past January:

And that’s when Coach Saban — the man who walked into my house four years ago and gave it to me straight, and who hasn’t stopped giving it to me that way since — gathered us all in the locker room and told us something I’ll never forget. Coach is the kind of guy who can look an entire room in the eye at once. And that’s what he did in that moment. He looked at our whole team … and then he paused for a second.

And then he said: “One game doesn’t define you.”

Allen also says goodbye to Tuscaloosa, the University of Alabama, and Crimson Tide fans:

To every Crimson Tide fan out there: You are what makes this place special. Thank you, for everything, from the bottom of my heart.

To next year’s team: You are a tough, talented group. Now go finish what we started.

And finally, to Coach Saban: You were right — One game doesn’t define you.

But one decision can.

And in my case, I’m proud to say, one has.

I decided to come to Alabama.

Roll Tide.

 

You can read Allen's letter HERE.

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