Eric Allen

For other people named Eric Allen, seeEric Allen (disambiguation).

Eric Allen

Allen in 2018
No. 21
Position:	Cornerback
Personal information
Born:	(1965-11-22)November 22, 1965 San Diego,California, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:	190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school:	Point Loma (San Diego, California)
College:	Arizona State
NFL draft:	1988/ Round: 2 / Pick: 30
Career history
As a player:
Philadelphia Eagles(1988–1994) New Orleans Saints(1995–1997) Oakland Raiders(1998–2001)
As a coach:
San Diego Fleet(2019) Defensive backs coach
Career highlights and awards
First-teamAll-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
Career NFL statistics
Totaltackles: 787 Interceptions: 54 Interception yards: 826 Pass deflections: 40 Forcedfumbles: 5 Fumble recoveries: 7 Sacks: 3 Defensivetouchdowns: 9
Player stats atPFR

Eric Andre Allen(born November 22, 1965) is an American formerfootballcornerbackwho played in theNational Football League(NFL) for thePhiladelphia Eagles,New Orleans Saints,andOakland Raidersfrom 1988 to 2001. A six-timePro Bowlselection, Allen retired after the 2001 season and is currently an NFL analyst forPac-12 Networks.In his NFL career, he recorded 54interceptionsfor 826 yards and eighttouchdowns,while also recovering sevenfumbles.His 54 interceptions is tied for21st in NFL history.

In 2019, he served as thedefensive backscoach for theSan Diego Fleetof theAlliance of American Football(AAF).

Early life

Allen playedhigh school footballatPoint Loma High Schoolunder legendary coachBennie Edens.

College career

Allen playedcollege footballatArizona State University.

Professional career

Allen wasdraftedby thePhiladelphia Eaglesin the second round of the1988 NFL Draft.

Allen played seven seasons for the Eagles, three seasons for theNew Orleans Saints,and four seasons for theOakland Raiders.While with the Eagles he was a very popular player with the "Gang Green"Defense, playing with NFL greatsReggie White,Seth Joyner,Jerome Brown,Clyde Simmons,Andre Waters,Mike Pitts,andWes Hopkins.He is the onlyNFLplayer 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 theNew 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 quarterbackBoomer Esiasonattempted 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" bySteve SabolofNFL Films.

After several successful and injury-free seasons at Philadelphia and New Orleans, Allen blew out his knee during the1998 seasonon November 15 while playing for theOakland Raidersagainst theSeattle Seahawksand missed the rest of that season. But he came back strong in2000and had a season to remember, with six interceptions, including a team-record three for touchdowns. His teammates honored him with the first annualEric Turneraward for the Raiders' most outstanding defensive player. The award was created in the memory of the Oaklandfree safetywho died of abdominal cancer in May 2000.

Through the2001 season,Allen played in 216 of a possible 224 games.

In 2009, Allen also was inducted by theSan Diego Hall of Championsinto theBreitbard Hall of Famehonoring San Diego's finest athletes both on and off the playing surface.

NFL career statistics

Legend
	Led the league
Bold	Career high

Year	Team	Games		Tackles				Interceptions						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	201	33.5	94	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
1996	NO	16	16	51	48	3	0.0	1	33	33.0	33	0	19	0	0
1997	NO	16	16	50	45	5	0.0	2	27	13.5	27	0	8	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
Career		216	213	787	431	62	3.0	54	826	16.3	94	8	120	5	6

Television career

Allen joinedESPNin 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 theSan Diego Fleetof theAlliance of American Football.

Personal life

He now lives inSan Diego,California with his wife Lynn Allen, with whom he has four children.

External links

• Career statistics and player information fromNFL.com·ESPN·CBS Sports·Yahoo! Sports·SI.com·Pro Football Reference