'You're in his shadow' — Jared Allen perfectly encapsulates why Derrick Thomas' legend still impacts the Chiefs to this day

They say legends never die.

The legend of Derrick Thomas is one that soon-to-be Hall of Famer Jared Allen carried with him from the moment he was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft to this very day. Allen never got a chance to play with Thomas, who passed away five years before he joined the team. Yet, from the moment Allen stepped foot in 1 Arrowhead Drive, Thomas had an indelible impact on his career.

Speaking to NBC Sports' Melissa Stark during Thursday's Hall of Fame Game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions, Allen revealed why he drew such motivation from Thomas.

"The late Derrick Thomas was your motivation earlier in your career," Stark said. "Why?"

"Because when you get drafted to the Chiefs, you're in his shadow," Allen responded. "So, you either got to rise up and try to compete with that, or you fold. And I respect him so much, watched so much film of him, and to be worth your salt in that building, that was the standard. So, I was just trying to live up to that."

Even though Allen didn't finish his NFL career as a Chief, he certainly lived up to Thomas' standard during his NFL career. As of now, he ranks 12th all-time on the NFL's official sack leaderboard with 136 sacks from 2004-2015. Thomas ranks 18th with 126.5 from 1989-1999. Both brought a certain relentlessness and tenacity for getting after the quarterback that has been rare in league history, and they'll now both be recognized in league annals for it.

As Allen is enshrined alongside Thomas in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, it serves as a reminder of the impact that Thomas still has on the club to this very day. His shadow inspired Allen to strive for greatness, and it continues to do so for defensive players in Kansas City.

Chris Jones often pays homage to No. 58 on and off the field.