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Longtime Minnesota Vikings announcer Paul Allen said he will take 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 would receive hazard benefits.
“In conditions like this, 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 the field before an NFL game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, on Nov. 10, 2024. (Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Allen again referenced paid protesters when he mentioned people who were rounding up stray dogs.
“Everyone is catching strays this week. (Vikings defensive coordinator Brian) Flores, Baker’s (Mayfield’s) Kevin Stefanski, Charlie ‘Biyatch’ caught one out of nowhere. They just ended up, the paid protesters caught one this morning,” Allen said, referencing his earlier comments.
Allen’s comments came before a shooting involving Border Patrol left one person dead in Minnesota over the weekend. He posted about the shooting on Saturday.
“I have to stop watching all of this for a moment. It makes me so sad that this terror is happening all around us here in Minnesota,” Allen posted on X.
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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 just prayed to God’s will that this would stop somehow and now I started crying. I’m really sorry that everyone is suffering like me through this, and I just want us to be a Covenant of Love again. Really. Let’s all pray that this stops 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 to be malicious or politically offensive, I want to absolutely and sincerely apologize to those who were truly 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’ makes no political opinions. We don’t criticize or praise political discussions or even focus on political issues. This time has always been a sports-focused space created 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. As I’ve said many times before, we serve you, not the other way around. We are very fortunate and thank you for having us for a long time. as you have done. It means more than you will ever know.”
“My best moment was on Friday and I’m sorry. I’m taking a few days off but I wanted to express these thoughts and my sincere apologies to 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 announcer since 2002.
