Eric Allen
Encyclopedia
Eric Andre Allen is a former professional American football
cornerback
who played 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 from football after the 2001 season and is currently an NFL analyst for ESPN
. In his NFL career, he recorded 54 interceptions for 827 yards and eight touchdowns, while also recovering seven fumbles. As of December 2008, his 54 interceptions ties him for twelfth all-time.
by the Philadelphia Eagles
in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft
.
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
, 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. 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 214 of a possible 217 games.
In 2009 Allen also was inducted by the San Diego Hall of Champions
into the Breitbard Hall of Fame honoring San Diego's finest athletes both on and off the playing surface.http://www.sdhoc.com/awards/hall-of-fame/football/eric-allen/
in August 2002 as an NFL studio analyst. His primary role is providing analysis for ESPNews
' Monday Quarterback.
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 played in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) for the 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...
, 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 ....
, and Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
from 1988
1988 NFL season
The 1988 NFL season was the 69th regular season of the National Football League. The Cardinals relocated from St. Louis, Missouri to the Phoenix, Arizona area becoming the Phoenix Cardinals but remained in the NFC East division....
to 2001
2001 NFL season
The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League.Following a pattern set in 1999, the first week of the season was permanently moved to the weekend following Labor Day...
.
A six-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, Allen retired from football after the 2001 season and is currently an NFL analyst for ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. In his NFL career, he recorded 54 interceptions for 827 yards and eight touchdowns, while also recovering seven fumbles. As of December 2008, his 54 interceptions ties him for twelfth all-time.
Professional career
Allen was draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
by the 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...
in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft
1988 NFL Draft
The 1988 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 24–25, 1988. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
.
Allen played seven seasons for the Eagles, three seasons 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 ....
, and four seasons for the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. While with the Eagles he was a very popular player with the "Gang Green" Defense, playing with NFL greats Reggie White
Reggie White
Reginald Howard "Reggie" White was a professional American football player. He played 15 seasons as a defensive end in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers, becoming one of the most decorated players in NFL history...
, Seth Joyner
Seth Joyner
Seth Joyner is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Arizona Cardinals, Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos. Joyner graduated from Spring Valley High School.-Professional career:Joyner was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the...
, and Wes Hopkins
Wes Hopkins
Wesley Carl Hopkins is a former professional American football safety who played for the Philadelphia Eagles his entire 11-year National Football League career from 1983 through 1993...
. 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
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...
. Having lost their starting quarterback (Randall Cunningham
Randall Cunningham
Randall W. Cunningham is a former American football quarterback.After playing college football at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he was selected in the second round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he remained through the 1995 season...
) 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
Boomer Esiason
Norman Julius "Boomer" Esiason is a former American football quarterback and current network color commentator. He played for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals before working as an analyst for ABC and HBO...
, 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. The ensuing 94-yard touchdown return was declared "Greatest Interception Return in NFL History" by Steve Sabol of NFL Films
NFL Films
NFL Films is a Mount Laurel, New Jersey-based company devoted to producing commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentaries on the National Football League, as well as other unrelated major events and awards shows...
.
After several successful and injury-free seasons at Philadelphia and New Orleans, Allen blew out his knee during the 1998 season
1998 NFL season
The 1998 NFL season was the 79th regular season of the National Football League.The Tennessee Oilers moved their home games from Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis to Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, still awaiting construction on a new stadium in Nashville.This was the first season that CBS...
on November 15 while playing for the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
against the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
and missed the rest of that season. But he came back strong in 2000
2000 NFL season
The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend 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
Eric Turner
Eric Ray Turner was a defensive back who played for the Cleveland Browns, the Baltimore Ravens and the Oakland Raiders. He died of intestinal cancer at the age of 31, two weeks after claiming he was not gravely ill...
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
2001 NFL season
The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League.Following a pattern set in 1999, the first week of the season was permanently moved to the weekend following Labor Day...
, Allen played in 214 of a possible 217 games.
In 2009 Allen also was inducted by the San Diego Hall of Champions
San Diego Hall of Champions
The San Diego Hall of Champions is an American multi-sport museum in San Diego, California. Located in the Federal Building in Balboa Park, the facility recognizes outstanding athletic accomplishments and traditions involving more than forty-two sports...
into the Breitbard Hall of Fame honoring San Diego's finest athletes both on and off the playing surface.http://www.sdhoc.com/awards/hall-of-fame/football/eric-allen/
Television career
Allen joined ESPNESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
in August 2002 as an NFL studio analyst. His primary role is providing analysis for ESPNews
ESPNEWS
ESPNEWS , launched on November 1, 1996, is a 24-hour-a-day sports news television channel...
' Monday Quarterback.