The Detroit Lions have reportedly reached an agreement with veteran quarterba ck Kyle Allen.
Allen, who entered the NFL in 2018 as an undrafted free agent, spent last season under contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Before turning pro, he played college football at Texas A&M (2014-2015) and later at Houston (2016-2017).
The Steelers recently re-signed free-agent quarterback Mason Rudolph, who was previously on the Tennessee Titans’ roster. Their quarterback group also includes Skylar Thompson, while Russell Wilson has been exploring his options with other teams, and Justin Fields has joined the New York Jets.
Now 29 years old, Allen is set to begin his eighth NFL season. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound quarterback originally signed with the Carolina Panthers, where he played for two seasons (2018-2019). He later spent two years with the Washington Commanders (2020-2021) and had brief stints with the Houston Texans (2022) and Buffalo Bills (2023).
During his time in Buffalo, Allen served as a backup, appearing in seven games but not attempting a pass.
Over the course of his seven-year career, he has played in 31 games, including 19 starts. He has completed 442 of 705 pass attempts, accumulating 4,753 yards and 26 touchdowns. On the ground, he has rushed 65 times for 162 yards and four touchdowns.
Last season, Detroit had Jake Fromm and Hendon Hooker developing behind veteran starter Jared Goff.
Now, Allen is expected to compete with Hooker for the backup role. Hooker, a former SEC standout, was selected in the third round of the 2023 draft and has been learning under Goff and former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
There has been growing speculation about Hooker’s future, and concerns increased when the Lions opted to bring back Teddy Bridgewater late in the 2024 season. Bridgewater had actually served as Detroit’s backup when they faced the Commanders in the playoffs at Ford Field.
