Jared Allen Returns to California, Backs Hilton
The former NFL pass rusher is moving his family from Tennessee and endorsed Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton in a video.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Football
Live Poll
Do you think California is getting better or worse for households like yours?
Former NFL pass rusher Jared Allen, 44, is moving from his Tennessee ranch back to California. He announced the move in a video endorsement of Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton.
Why it matters
Allen's endorsement places a well-known former athlete behind a candidate in California's governor race, which pits Hilton against Democratic nominee Xavier Becerra, a former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary. Allen said he wants his children to experience the California he grew up in.
Allen is 44 years old and was an NFL pass rusher and Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist. Hilton's affordability pitch centers on a $3 tank of gas, far above the roughly $1 Allen paid as a teenager.
The players
Jared Allen
A former NFL pass rusher and Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist who grew up in Morgan Hill, California.
Steve Hilton
The Republican candidate for governor of California, who is seeking to lower gasoline costs in the state.
Xavier Becerra
The Democratic nominee for governor of California and a former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary.
The details
Allen grew up on a cutting horse ranch in Morgan Hill and began playing football in Gilroy Pop Warner. He attended Live Oak High School before transferring to Los Gatos High School, where he earned first-team All-League, Defensive Player of the Year and All-Central Coast Section honors.
Timeline
Allen grew up on a cutting horse ranch in Morgan Hill during his childhood.
Allen transferred to Los Gatos High School for his senior year and earned major accolades.
Allen announced his move back to California and his endorsement of Steve Hilton on November 1, 2026.
Big Picture
Allen's endorsement is a personal, athlete-led political statement of the kind that high-profile former players occasionally make in state races. It arrives in a contest between Hilton and Becerra in which gasoline costs have become a central campaign theme.
Allen's endorsement puts a former athlete's name behind Hilton's gasoline-price message in the governor's race. Readers following the contest will see the affordability argument framed around a $3 tank of gas.
The takeaway
Athlete endorsements can shape how voters encounter a campaign, but the substance of a race still turns on the policy positions candidates put forward. Readers can weigh Hilton's gas-price pledge against Becerra's record as they consider the choice.
Further reading
For more on the state's gridiron scene, see Football coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by New York Post.
Live Poll
Do you think California is getting better or worse for households like yours?
