Carolina Panthers defensive end Jared Allen is looking to play in his first Super Bowl in 12 seasons in the NFL and is willing to do whatever it takes to play in Super Bowl 50, including laser therapy, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports.
Allen returned to practice last week after being held out of the NFC Championship game with a broken bone in his foot and said he was able to practice with "no limitations." Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said the extra week off helped Allen, who was able to practice well this past Monday, according to Garafolo.
The defensive end credits his recovery to both the Panthers training staff and his friend Jay Glazer, who set him up with some of the latest laser therapy from a company called Phoenix Thera-Lase. "It's the biggest game-changer I've ever seen," said Glazer, via Fox Sports. "We've taken away high-ankle sprains in six days. We had (UFC Champ) Rashad Evans, coming off a double ACL, ditch his knee brace four days after treatment. It was the first time in 20 months he was able to do that."
Allen is hoping the treatment will help him play on Super Bowl Sunday, as he knows first-hand the difficulty of reaching this milestone, as even some of the greatest players never reach the Super Bowl. "When you're at different points in your career and stuff like that..." said Allen pausing before finishing with a grin, via Fox Sports. "Yeah, in my younger days, the conversations might have gone a little different."
Allen is eager to get on the field for Super Bowl 50 and is proving to his coach through practice and the lead-up to the game that he is ready to play. "I like the path he's on, I like the hard work he's put in, I like the tempo he's practiced with," said Rivera, via Fox Sports. Allen and Packers linebacker Julius Peppers are tied for the most career sacks among active players in the NFL, and the Panthers defensive end has made a huge impact on Carolina's defense since being acquired through a trade earlier in the season.
