It's no gimmick. Jared Allen is now a professional curler.

Former Vikings star defensive end Jared Allen is making his professional curling tour debut this weekend and he's going up against the best in the world.

Allen is a member of the Blaine-based All Pro Curling team and they're opening opponent in this weekend's Curl Mesabi Classic in Eveleth, Minnesota, is against the famed group from Duluth Curling Club that won the gold medal at this past year's PyeongChang winter Olympics.

Our guess is that the group of American olympians – John Shuster, John Landsteiner and Matt Hamilton – is favored to beat Allen and his ex-NFL player teammates.

Joining Allen on the All Pro Curling team, whose logo is includes a curling rock, football and pint of beer, are former Rams quarterback Marc Bulger and ex-Titans lineman Michael Roos, former Titans linebacker Keith Bullock.

Leading them is head coach John Benton, a professional curler from St. Michael, Minnesota.

The All Pro Curling Team logo. Instagram

According to the Curl Mesabi Classic schedule, Team Shuster will face Allen's squad at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, although Roos and Bullock appear to be bystanders for the opening match.

The tournament features many of the best curling teams in the world and they're competing for a $18,000 purse.

You can watch them via All Pro Curling's live stream on YouTube.