Local Fond du Lac “Kid” will be on the screen when Green Bay plays the Jets Sunday

When the Green Bay Packers take on the New York Jets Sunday, September 20, 2026, Wisconsin football fans will have a familiar name to watch on the other side of the field.

Braelon Allen — a Fond du Lac native and former Fond du Lac High School standout — is now in his third NFL season with the New York Jets.

So while Packers fans will obviously be watching Green Bay, they may also want to keep an eye on number 0 in the Jets’ backfield.

Allen grew up in Fond du Lac and starred at Fond du Lac High School before continuing his career at the University of Wisconsin. He eventually became one of the most productive running backs in Badgers history.

At Wisconsin, Allen rushed for 3,494 yards, which ranks ninth in school history. And that was just in three years, as he left the school early to join the NFL draft.

He also averaged nearly 5.9 yards per carry during his Badgers career and scored 35 touchdowns. He led Wisconsin in rushing in each of his three seasons in Madison.

That success led to the NFL.

The Jets selected Allen in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, making him the third Fond du Lac High School football player to reach the NFL. The Jets noted at the time that Allen had graduated from Fond du Lac High School in just three years.

Allen immediately made some NFL history as a rookie. He finished his first season with 334 rushing yards, becoming the youngest player in the Super Bowl era to record a touchdown and setting an NFL mark for rushing yards by a player before turning 21.

Now, Allen is preparing to face the team many Wisconsin fans will be rooting for Sunday.

The Jets opened the 2026 season last Sunday with a 23-10 victory over the Tennessee Titans, and Allen was part of a strong New York running game. He carried the ball 10 times for 40 yards, averaging four yards per carry, with a long run of nine yards. He also had a target in the passing game but did not record a reception.

Allen is currently working behind Jets starting running back Breece Hall, but he remains an important part of New York’s rushing attack. The Jets ran for 152 yards in their season-opening victory over Tennessee.

And that makes Sunday’s game a little more interesting for people watching from Fond du Lac.

There won’t be a former Badger lining up in a Packers uniform. Instead, one of Fond du Lac’s most successful football players will be wearing the opposing team’s colors.

Allen and the Jets will host Green Bay Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with kickoff scheduled for noon Central Time. The Packers are coming off a 39-22 loss to Minnesota in their season opener, while New York enters the game at 1-0 after its win over Tennessee.

For Packers fans in Fond du Lac, it may be hard to root for Allen during the game.

But when number 0 takes the field for New York, it’s worth remembering that before the NFL, before Wisconsin and before the Jets, Braelon Allen was a Fond du Lac kid playing football at Fond du Lac High School.

And on Sunday, he’ll be one of the local connections making a national NFL game a little more personal for fans back home.