Eric Allen
{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1965)}}
{{Other people}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Eric Allen
| image = Eric Allen Philly HOF (cropped).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Allen in 2018
| number = 21
| position = Cornerback
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|11|22}}
| birth_place = San Diego, California, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 10
| weight_lb = 190
| high_school = Point Loma {{nowrap|(San Diego)}}
| college = Arizona State (1984–1987)
| draftyear = 1988
| draftround = 2
| draftpick = 30
| pastteams =
- Philadelphia Eagles ({{NFL Year|1988|1994}})
- New Orleans Saints ({{NFL Year|1995|1997}})
- Oakland Raiders ({{NFL Year|1998|2001}})
| pastcoaching =
- San Diego Fleet ({{AAF Year|2019}})
Defensive backs coach
| highlights =
- First-team All-Pro (1989)
- 2× Second-team All-Pro (1991, 1993)
- 6× Pro Bowl (1989, 1991–1995)
- PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team (1988)
- Philadelphia Eagles 75th Anniversary Team
- Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame
| statlabel1 = Total tackles
| statvalue1 = 787
| statlabel2 = Interceptions
| statvalue2 = 54
| statlabel3 = Interception yards
| statvalue3 = 826
| statlabel4 = Pass deflections
| statvalue4 = 40
| statlabel5 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue5 = 5
| statlabel6 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue6 = 7
| statlabel7 = Sacks
| statvalue7 = 3
| statlabel8 = Defensive touchdowns
| statvalue8 = 9
| pfr = A/AlleEr00
| HOF = eric-allen
}}
Eric Andre Allen (born November 22, 1965) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints, and Oakland Raiders from 1988 to 2001. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Allen retired after the 2001 season and is currently an NFL analyst for Pac-12 Networks. In his NFL career, he recorded 54 interceptions for 826 yards and eight touchdowns, while also recovering seven fumbles. His 54 interceptions is tied for 21st in NFL history.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/def_int_career.htm|title = NFL Interceptions Career Leaders (Since 1940)| website=Pro-Football-Reference.com }} He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2025.
In 2019, he served as the defensive backs coach for the San Diego Fleet of the Alliance of American Football (AAF).{{Cite web |date=2020-08-23 |title=Cornerbacks are the Story at No. 21 with Eric Allen at the Top |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/eagles/news/cornerbacks-are-the-story-at-no-21-with-eric-allen-at-the-top |access-date=2024-11-14 |website=Philadelphia Eagles On SI |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2021-12-31 |title=Philadelphia Eagles: Eric Allen got snubbed by the Hall of Fame |url=https://section215.com/2021/12/30/philadelphia-eagles-eric-allen-snubbed/ |access-date=2024-11-14 |website=Section 215 |language=en-US}}
Early life
Allen played high school football at Point Loma High School under legendary coach Bennie Edens.
College career
Allen played college football at Arizona State University.
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 9 3/4
| weight = 181
| dash = 4.46
| ten split = 1.58
| twenty split = 2.62
| shuttle = 4.19
| vertical = 30.5
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 4
| bench = 14
| hand span = 9 1/2
}}
Allen was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 1988 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=1988 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1988/draft.htm |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
Allen played seven seasons for the Eagles, three seasons for the New Orleans Saints, and four seasons for the Oakland Raiders. While with the Eagles he was a very popular player with the "Gang Green" Defense, playing with NFL greats Reggie White, Seth Joyner, Jerome Brown, Clyde Simmons, Andre Waters, Byron Evans, Mike Pitts, and Wes Hopkins. He is the only NFL player to run back three or more interceptions for scores in two separate seasons.
One of Allen's most memorable plays occurred October 3, 1993, in a game against the New York Jets. Having lost their starting quarterback (Randall Cunningham) to a fractured fibula early in the contest, the Eagles found themselves trailing the Jets by two points late in the 4th quarter as the Jets drove downfield for what would likely be the game's final points. Jets quarterback Boomer Esiason attempted to throw for a first down inside the Eagles 10-yard line as Allen stepped in front of the intended receiver at the 6-yard line.{{Cite web |date=2008-12-03 |title=Today in Philly Sports History: Eric Allen's "Greatest Interception Return in NFL History," 1993 |url=https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/news/today-in-philly-sports-history-eric-allens-greatest-interception-return-in-nfl-history-1993/310513/ |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=NBC Sports Philadelphia |language=en-US}} The ensuing 94-yard touchdown return was declared "Greatest Interception Return in NFL History" by Steve Sabol of NFL Films.
After several successful and injury-free seasons at Philadelphia and New Orleans, Allen blew out his knee during the 1998 season on November 15 while playing for the Oakland Raiders against the Seattle Seahawks and missed the rest of that season. But he came back strong in 2000 and had a season to remember, with six interceptions, including a team-record three for touchdowns. His teammates honored him with the first annual Eric Turner award for the Raiders' most outstanding defensive player. The award was created in the memory of the Oakland free safety who died of abdominal cancer in May 2000.
Through the 2001 season, Allen played in 216 of a possible 224 games.
In 2009, Allen also was inducted by the San Diego Hall of Champions into the {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20091003061508/http://www.sdhoc.com/awards/hall-of-fame/football/eric-allen/ Breitbard Hall of Fame]}} honoring San Diego's finest athletes both on and off the playing surface.{{cite web |url=http://www.sdhoc.com/awards/hall-of-fame/football/eric-allen/ |title=San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum » Eric Allen |access-date=June 23, 2009 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091003061508/http://www.sdhoc.com/awards/hall-of-fame/football/eric-allen/ |archive-date=October 3, 2009 }}
NFL career statistics
| class="wikitable" |
| colspan="2"| Legend |
|---|
| style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|
| Led the league |
| Bold
| Career high |
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" | ||||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="2"| Games ! colspan="4"| Tackles ! colspan="6"| Interceptions ! colspan="2"| Fumbles | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | PD | FF | FR | |
| 1988 | PHI
| 16 || 16 || 65 || — || — || 0.0 || 5 || 76 || 15.2 || 21 || 0 || — || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||
| 1989 | PHI
| 15 || 15 || 48 || — || — || 0.0 || 8 || 38 || 4.8 || 18 || 0 || — || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||
| 1990 | PHI
| 16 || 15 || 63 || — || — || 0.0 || 3 || 37 || 12.3 || 35 || 1 || — || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||
| 1991 | PHI
| 16 || 16 || 39 || — || — || 0.0 || 5 || 20 || 4.0 || 8 || 0 || — || 0 || 1 | |||||||||||||
| 1992 | PHI
| 16 || 16 || 72 || — || — || 0.0 || 4 || 49 || 12.2 || 36 || 0 || — || 0 || 2 | |||||||||||||
| 1993 | PHI
| 16 || 16 || 64 || 52 || 6 || 2.0 || 6 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 201 || 33.5 || 94 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 4 || 17 || 3 || 0 | |||||||||||||
| 1994 | PHI
| 16 || 16 || 57 || 46 || 11 || 0.0 || 3 || 61 || 20.3 || 33 || 0 || 14 || 0 || 1 | |||||||||||||
| 1995 | NO
| 16 || 16 || 59 || 44 ||| 14 || 0.0 || 2 || 28 || 14.0 || 28 || 0 || 6 || 0 || 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| 1996 | NO
| 16 || 16 || 51 || 48 || 3 || 0.0 || 1 || 33 || 33.0 || 33 || 0 || 19 || 0 || 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| 1997 | NO
| 16 || 16 || 50 || 45 || 5 || 0.0 || 2 || 27 || 13.5 || 27 || 0 || 8 || 0 || 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| 1998 | OAK
| 10 || 10 || 35 || 33 || 2 || 0.0 || 5 || 59 || 11.8 || 22 || 0 || 17 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||
| 1999 | OAK
| 16 || 16 || 61 || 52 || 9 || 0.0 || 3 || 33 || 11.0 || 31 || 0 || 16 || 0 || 1 | |||||||||||||
| 2000 | OAK
| 16 || 15 || 68 || 62 || 6 || 1.0 || 6 || 145 || 24.2 || 50 || 3 || 14 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||
| 2001 | OAK
| 15 || 14 || 55 || 49 || 6 || 0.0 || 1 || 19 || 19.0 || 19 || 0 || 9 || 2 || 1 | |||||||||||||
| colspan="2"| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AlleEr00.htm Career] | 216 | 213 | 787 | 431 | 62 | 3.0 | 54 | 826 | 16.3 | 94 | 8 | 120 | 5 | 6 |
Television career
Allen joined ESPN in August 2002 as an NFL studio analyst. Allen primarily appears on ESPN's "Sportscenter" as an NFL analyst.
Allen has had appearances as a college football analyst on the Pac-12 Networks football shows, as well as for the station's flagship show "Sports Report" as a football analyst.
Coaching career
On December 19, 2018, Allen was named defensive backs coach for the San Diego Fleet of the Alliance of American Football.{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|url=https://thebrunswicknews.com/sports/national_sports/agate/wednesday-s-sports-transactions/article_2d94d380-0ac8-552a-89c4-1fb37d99923b.html|title=Wednesday's Sports Transactions|newspaper=The Brunswick News|date=December 19, 2018|access-date=January 6, 2019|quote=SAN DIEGO FLEET — Named Eric Allen defensive backs coach and LaMont Jordan running backs coach.|archive-date=January 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107072041/https://thebrunswicknews.com/sports/national_sports/agate/wednesday-s-sports-transactions/article_2d94d380-0ac8-552a-89c4-1fb37d99923b.html|url-status=dead}}
Personal life
He now lives in San Diego, California with his wife Lynn Allen, with whom he has four children.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Footballstats |nfl=Eric-Allen|espn=107 |cbs=3025 |yahoo=1005 |si=1005 |pfr=A/AlleEr00 }}
{{Eagles1988DraftPicks}}
{{Eagles75}}
{{Eagles Honor Roll}}
{{ESPN NFL Personalities}}
{{2025 Football HOF}}
{{Pro Football Hall of Fame members}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Eric}}
Category:American football cornerbacks
Category:Arizona State Sun Devils football players
Category:Philadelphia Eagles players
Category:New Orleans Saints players
Category:Oakland Raiders players
Category:National Conference Pro Bowl players
Category:Point Loma High School alumni