Chris McAlister
Encyclopedia
Christopher James McAlister (born June 14, 1977) is an American football
cornerback
who is currently a free agent
. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens
in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Arizona
.
McAlister has also played for the New Orleans Saints
. A three-time Pro Bowl
selection, McAlister has earned two Super Bowl ring
s, one with the Ravens for Super Bowl XXXV
and one with the Saints for Super Bowl XLIV
, although the latter was for regular season contributions.
in Pasadena, California
. He threw for 1,153 yards and rushed for 1,302 yards as a quarterback
and returned three punts and two interceptions for touchdowns. He won the Conference Player of the Year and California's MVP in his senior year. McAlister also played basketball
and, under Coach Bill Duwe, won the CIF championship in 1995. He also lettered in track
. He had his football jersey #9 retired in 2001.
before transferring to the University of Arizona
. He had an illustrious career at Arizona where he won unanimous All-America
1st-team honors and was an All-Pac 10 1st-team choice for 3 straight seasons. He is only the 7th player in college football
history (1st in Arizona history) to return a kickoff, punt and interception for touchdowns in the same season. His 18 interceptions at the end of his Arizona career ranked 3rd on the school's career-record chart behind Chuck Cecil
and Jackie Wallace
.
selected Chris McAlister in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft
, as the tenth overall pick.
McAlister had a solid rookie season in which he recorded 47 tackles (45 solo), 5 picks, and 16 passes deflected. He made his NFL debut at the St. Louis Rams
on September 12, 1999. At season's end, he was named to College & Pro Football Newsweekly's 1999 All-Rookie Team. McAlister had another solid season in 2000 as the Ravens won the Super Bowl and he had a key interception in Super Bowl XXXV
against the New York Giants
. During the regular season, he also intercepted New York Jets
and former Baltimore Ravens
QB Vinny Testaverde
and returned the INT 98 yards for a TD.
McAlister set an NFL record for the longest play when he returned a missed field goal 107 yards for a touchdown during Monday Night Football
against the Denver Broncos
on September 30, 2002. This record was later broken by Nathan Vasher
on a 108-yard field goal return, tied by Devin Hester
and eventually broken again by Antonio Cromartie
on a 109-yard field goal return in 2007.
McAlister earned his first Pro Bowl selection in 2003.
In 2004, McAlister signed a 7-year, 55 million dollar contract.
McAlister had arguably the best season of his career in 2006. He had two touchdowns that year and made his third Pro Bowl. But his last two seasons in Baltimore
were marked by injuries and inconsistent play. McAlister was beat more and more often.
Chris McAlister had his contract terminated by the Baltimore Ravens
on February 16, 2009.
. In a December 6 game at the Washington Redskins
, Chris McAlister forced a fumble in overtime, which started the drive resulting in a game-winning field goal for New Orleans. However, he was released on December 8, just two months before the Saints would go on to win Super Bowl XLIV
.McAlister finished 2009 with 4 tackles and the forced fumble. McAlister spent the rest of 2009 and all of 2010 out of football.
also played in the NFL, in three seasons for the New England Patriots
and Philadelphia Eagles
during the 1970s. McAlister is divorced and has one daughter.
McAlister was married for 13 months and is now living with his parents having financial issues, being unemployed since 2009.
' headquarters drunk. In 2010, he allegedly booted his wife from his house after she refused to have an abortion. He has also blown up several times on the field as well.
that he was broke and living with his parents. He said that he has had no income since 2009. He also went to court to attempt to lower his $11 thousand a month child support.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft
1999 NFL Draft
The 1999 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 17-18, 1999...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Arizona
Arizona Wildcats football
The Arizona Wildcats football team is the football team of the University of Arizona, located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level.-Early years:...
.
McAlister has also played for the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
. A three-time Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection, McAlister has earned two Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
s, one with the Ravens for Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was played on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 2000 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Baltimore Ravens defeated the National Football Conference champion New York...
and one with the Saints for Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
, although the latter was for regular season contributions.
Early years
McAlister attended Pasadena High SchoolPasadena High School (Pasadena, California)
-History:The school was first established as a district school in 1884 and became Pasadena High School in 1891. In 1928, the school merged into Pasadena Junior College and operated as a four-year school, grades 11, 12, 13 and 14. Pasadena realigned its 6-4-4 school system in 1954 with Pasadena High...
in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
. He threw for 1,153 yards and rushed for 1,302 yards as a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
and returned three punts and two interceptions for touchdowns. He won the Conference Player of the Year and California's MVP in his senior year. McAlister also played basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and, under Coach Bill Duwe, won the CIF championship in 1995. He also lettered in track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. He had his football jersey #9 retired in 2001.
College career
McAlister attended Mt. San Antonio CollegeMt. San Antonio College
Mt. San Antonio College is a community college located in the Los Angeles suburb of Walnut, California, 2.12 miles west of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona ....
before transferring to the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
. He had an illustrious career at Arizona where he won unanimous All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
1st-team honors and was an All-Pac 10 1st-team choice for 3 straight seasons. He is only the 7th player in college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
history (1st in Arizona history) to return a kickoff, punt and interception for touchdowns in the same season. His 18 interceptions at the end of his Arizona career ranked 3rd on the school's career-record chart behind Chuck Cecil
Chuck Cecil
Charles Douglas "Chuck" Cecil , was the defensive coordinator of the NFL's Tennessee Titans. He is also a former NFL Pro Bowl safety.-Early years:Cecil is a native of Red Bluff, California...
and Jackie Wallace
Jackie Wallace
Jackie Wallace was an American college and professional football player. A star at Arizona, he played six professional seasons as a cornerback from 1974-1979. He started for the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IX. He was the 34th overall pick in the second round of the 1973 NFL draft.-References:...
.
Pre-draft
McAlister, at 205 pounds, ran a 4.53 second 40-yard dash, 4.08 second 20-yard shuttle, 6.90 3-cone drill, and had a vertical jump of 38 inches at the 1999 NFL CombineNFL Combine
The National Invitational Camp or NFL Scouting Combine, as it is more widely known, is a week-long showcase, occurring every February in Indianapolis, Indiana's Lucas Oil Stadium , where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general...
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore RavensBaltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
selected Chris McAlister in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft
1999 NFL Draft
The 1999 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 17-18, 1999...
, as the tenth overall pick.
McAlister had a solid rookie season in which he recorded 47 tackles (45 solo), 5 picks, and 16 passes deflected. He made his NFL debut at the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
on September 12, 1999. At season's end, he was named to College & Pro Football Newsweekly's 1999 All-Rookie Team. McAlister had another solid season in 2000 as the Ravens won the Super Bowl and he had a key interception in Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was played on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 2000 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Baltimore Ravens defeated the National Football Conference champion New York...
against the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. During the regular season, he also intercepted New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and former Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
QB Vinny Testaverde
Vinny Testaverde
Vincent Frank Testaverde is a former NFL quarterback. Testaverde last played for the Carolina Panthers and had previously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. Testaverde holds the NFL record for having...
and returned the INT 98 yards for a TD.
McAlister set an NFL record for the longest play when he returned a missed field goal 107 yards for a touchdown during Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
against the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on September 30, 2002. This record was later broken by Nathan Vasher
Nathan Vasher
Nathaniel DeWayne Vasher is an American football cornerback who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
on a 108-yard field goal return, tied by Devin Hester
Devin Hester
Devin Hester is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Miami, where he became the first person in the university’s recent history to play in all three phases of American football...
and eventually broken again by Antonio Cromartie
Antonio Cromartie
Antonio Cromartie is an American football cornerback for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers 19th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft...
on a 109-yard field goal return in 2007.
McAlister earned his first Pro Bowl selection in 2003.
In 2004, McAlister signed a 7-year, 55 million dollar contract.
McAlister had arguably the best season of his career in 2006. He had two touchdowns that year and made his third Pro Bowl. But his last two seasons in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
were marked by injuries and inconsistent play. McAlister was beat more and more often.
Chris McAlister had his contract terminated by the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
on February 16, 2009.
New Orleans Saints
On November 17, 2009, McAlister signed with the New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
. In a December 6 game at the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
, Chris McAlister forced a fumble in overtime, which started the drive resulting in a game-winning field goal for New Orleans. However, he was released on December 8, just two months before the Saints would go on to win Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
.McAlister finished 2009 with 4 tackles and the forced fumble. McAlister spent the rest of 2009 and all of 2010 out of football.
Family
Chris McAlister's father James McAlisterJames McAlister
James Edward McAlister is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the sixth round of the 1974 NFL Draft. He played college football at UCLA.McAlister also played for the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots...
also played in the NFL, in three seasons for the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
and Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
during the 1970s. McAlister is divorced and has one daughter.
McAlister was married for 13 months and is now living with his parents having financial issues, being unemployed since 2009.
Legal Issues
In 1996, Chris McAlister was convicted of theft. In 2003, he was charged with drunk driving and he also showed up at the Baltimore RavensBaltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
' headquarters drunk. In 2010, he allegedly booted his wife from his house after she refused to have an abortion. He has also blown up several times on the field as well.
Money Problems
McAlister was known as a free spender throughout his career in the NFL. In 2011, he reportedly told TMZTMZ
TMZ can refer to any of the following:*The Thames airport in New Zealand*Thirty Mile Zone, a zone in and around Hollywood, California that is considered to be "local" for purposes of entertainment industry union work rules...
that he was broke and living with his parents. He said that he has had no income since 2009. He also went to court to attempt to lower his $11 thousand a month child support.