 | Thisbiography of a living personneeds additionalcitations forverification. Please help by addingreliable sources.Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced orpoorly sourcedmust be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentiallylibelous. Find sources: "Eric Allen" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(May 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
.jpg) Allen in 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||
| No. 21 | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Cornerback | ||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1965-11-22)November 22, 1965 (age 60) 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) | ||||||||||||||||||
| College | Arizona State (1984–1987) | ||||||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1988: 2nd round, 30th overall pick | ||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||
Playing | |||||||||||||||||||
Coaching | |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
Eric Andre Allen (born November 22, 1965) is an American former professionalfootball player who was acornerback in theNational Football League (NFL) for thePhiladelphia Eagles,New Orleans Saints, andOakland Raiders from 1988 to 2001. A six-timePro Bowl selection, Allen retired after the 2001 season and is currently an NFL analyst forPac-12 Networks. In his NFL career, he recorded 54interceptions for 826 yards and eighttouchdowns, while also recovering sevenfumbles. His 54 interceptions is tied for21st in NFL history.[1] He was inducted into thePro Football Hall of Fame in 2025.
In 2019, he served as thedefensive backs coach for theSan Diego Fleet of theAlliance of American Football (AAF).[2][3]
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding to it.(June 2025) |
Allen playedhigh school football atPoint Loma High School under legendary coachBennie Edens.[citation needed]
Allen playedcollege football atArizona State University.
| Height | Weight | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft9+3⁄4 in (1.77 m) | 181 lb (82 kg) | 9+1⁄2 in (0.24 m) | 4.46 s | 1.58 s | 2.62 s | 4.19 s | 30.5 in (0.77 m) | 9 ft 4 in (2.84 m) | 14 reps |
ThePhiladelphia Eagles selected Allen in the second round (30th overall) in the1988 NFL draft. He was the third cornerback drafted, followingRickey Dixon andTerry McDaniel, and was also the first of three cornerbacks the Eagles drafted in 1988, along with fifth round pick (122nd overall)Eric Everett and 11th round pick (288th overall)Izel Jenkins.[4]
On June 19, 1988, the Eagles signed Allen to a four–year, $1.05 million rookie contract that included an initialsigning bonus of $260,000.[5][6]
He entered training camp slated as the No. 2 starting cornerback, taking over after disappointing seasons fromElbert Foules andWilliam Frizzell.[7] Throughout training camp and the preseason, Allen performed well and was named a starting cornerback to begin the season, alongsideRoynell Young.[8][9][4]
On September 10, 1988, Allen made his professional regular season debut in thePhiladelphia Eagles’ season-opener at theTampa Bay Buccaneers and made four solo tackles, one pass deflection, and had the first interception of his career on a pass byVinny Testaverde as they won 41–14.[10] In Week 7, he set a season-high with eight combined tackles (five solo), had a pass break-up, and intercepted a pass attempt byDon Strock during a 3–19 loss at theCleveland Browns.[11] On November 13, 1988, Allen recorded one solo tackle, set a season-high with three pass deflections, and intercepted a pass byBubby Brister during a 27–26 win at thePittsburgh Steelers.[12][13] He started in all 16 games as a rookie throughout the entire1988 NFL season and recorded 57 combined tackles (53 solo), 11 pass deflections, and made five interceptions.[14]
On January 11, 1989, defensive coordinatorWade Phillips accepted the same position with theDenver Broncos. Defensive backs coachJeff Fisher was promoted to take over as his replacement.Head coachBuddy Ryan named Allen the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season following the departure of Roydell Young. Fellow second-year cornerbackIzel Jenkins was paired with Allen for the season, replacing Young.[15]
On September 17, 1989, Allen set a season-high with five solo tackles, made two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass byMark Rypien during a 42–27 win at theWashington Redskins.In Week 6, he recorded three solo tackles, set a season-high with three pass deflections, and picked off a pass thrown byTom Tupa during a 17–5 victory at thePhoenix Cardinals.[16] In Week 11, Allen made three solo tackles, one pass deflection, recovered a fumble, and intercepted a pass byWade Wilson as the Eagles defeated theMinnesota Vikings 9–10.[17] The following week, he made two solo tackles, one pass deflection, and picked off a pass byTroy Aikman during a 27–0 victory at theDallas Cowboys in Week 12.[18] On December 3, 1989, Allen broke up a pass and made his eighth interception of the season on a pass attempt byPhil Simms during a 24–17 victory at theNew York Giants.[19] He finished the season with a total of 48 combined tackles (32 solo), 12 pass deflections, and set a career-high with eight interceptions in 15 games and 15 starts.[14]
ThePhiladelphia Eagles selected cornerbackBen Smith in the first round (22nd overall) of the1990 NFL draft. He returned to training camp slated as thede facto No. 1 starting cornerback. Head coach Buddy Ryan named Allen and Ben Smith the starting cornerbacks to begin the season. In Week 8, he recorded five solo tackles and set a season-high with three pass deflections during a 21–20 victory at theDallas Cowboys.[20] In Week 13, he set a season-high with six solo tackles during a 23–30 loss at theBuffalo Bills. On December 23, 1990, Allen made four solo tackles, two pass deflections, set a career-high with two interceptions off passes thrown byBabe Laufenberg, and returned one for the first touchdown of his career as the Eagles defeated theDallas Cowboys 3–17.[21] He intercepted a pass Babe Laufenberg threw to wide receiverMichael Irvin and returned it 35 yards to score his first touchdown midway through the fourth quarter.[22] He finished the season with 58 combined tackles (56 solo), 14 pass deflections, and three interceptions in 16 games and 15 starts.
The Philadelphia Eagles finished second in theNFC East at the conclusion of the1990 NFL season and earned a Wild-Card berth for their third consecutive playoff appearance. On January 5, 1991, Allen started in the NFC Wild-Card Game and made three solo tackles, one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass byMark Rypien as the Eagles lost 20–6 to theWashington Redskins.[23]
On January 8, 1991, thePhiladelphia Eagles fired head coachBuddy Ryan three days after their third first round playoff exit in-a-row. OwnerNorman Braman immediately announced offensive coordinatorRich Kotite would be promoted to be the new head coach.[24][25] Defensive coordinatorJeff Fisher was the only other candidate to replace Buddy Ryan and was offered to retain his position, but opted to depart from the organization.[26] After a successful first season pairing together, defensive coordinatorBud Carson chose to retain Allen and Ben Smith as the starters to begin the season.
On September 1, 1991, Allen started in the Eagles' season-opener at theGreen Bay Packers and recorded three solo tackles and intercepted a pass byDon Majkowski as they won 20–3.[27] In Week 6, he set a season-high with three pass deflections and intercepted a pass attempt byVinny Testaverde during a 13–14 loss at theTampa Bay Buccaneers.[28] In Week 11, No. 2 starting cornerback Ben Smith tore his ACL during a 32–30 victory at theCleveland Browns and was subsequently placed on season-ending injured reserve.[29] In Week 14, he set a season-high with seven solo tackles and had three pass deflections during a 13–6 victory at theHouston Oilers.[30] He started all 16 games throughout the1991 NFL season and made 37 combined tackles (34 solo), 20 pass deflections, five interceptions, and one fumble recovery.[14] He was selected for the1992 Pro Bowl, marking his second Pro Bowl of his career.
Throughout the season, the Eagles' defense were dubbed "Gang Green" due to their relentless pressure. Following the departure of Buddy Ryan, the Eagles' defense continued to use his 46 defense, but defensive coordinatorBud Carson would effectively mix in different defensive schemes, fronts, coverages, and blitzes. Bud Carson was credited for the arrival of the Cover 2 defense on the NFL. The defense was built around a defensive line that includedReggie White,Jerome Brown,Mike Golic, andClyde Simmons. The linebacker corps hadSeth Joyner,Jessie Small,Byron Evans, and rookieWilliam Thomas among them. The secondary consisted of cornerback duo Allen andBen Smith starting alongside safetiesWes Hopkins andAndre Waters. The defense quickly began diminishing starting with Ben Smith suffering a torn ACL in Week 10 and was profoundly effected by the sudden death of Jerome Brown before training camp in June 1992.[31]
Throughout the offseason, Allen and the Eagles worked on reaching an agreement. Upon the beginning of training camp, both parties were unable to reach an agreement. After two Pro Bowl selections, Allen demanded to receive a salary that would make him one of the highest paid cornerbacks. He decided to hold out of training camp and refused to play until his demands were met. On September 3, 1992, thePhiladelphia Eagles re-signed Allen to a three–year, $3.60 million contract.[32] Allen said the key to the agreement was "making me one of the three highest-paid defensive backs and keeping me there. It was a compromise." Head coach Rich Kotite named Allen and Izel Jenkins the starting cornerbacks to begin the season, asBen Smith would remain inactive for the entire season due to his torn ACL.[33]
After the five games, defensive coordinator Bud Carson opted to bench No. 2 starting cornerbackIzel Jenkins and replaced him with starting free safetyJohn Booty temporarily for seven consecutive games (Weeks 7–13).[34][35] On November 8, 1992, Allen recorded six solo tackles, two pass deflections, and set a season-high with two interceptions off passes byTodd Marinovich as the Eagles defeated theLos Angeles Raiders 10–31.[36] In Week 15, he set a season-high with three pass deflections and intercepted a pass byStan Gelbaugh during a 20–17 overtime victory at theSeattle Seahawks.[37] He started all 16 games throughout the season and finished with 78 combined tackles (55 solo), ten pass deflections, four interceptions, and two fumble recoveries.[14]
The Philadelphia Eagles finished the1992 NFL season with an 11–5 record to earn a Wild-Card berth. On January 3, 1993, Allen started in the NFC Wild-Card Game and recorded three combined tackles (two solo), led the game with four pass deflections, made two interceptions, and sealed a 36–20 victory at theNew Orleans Saints by intercepting a pass byBobby Hebert and returned it 18 yards for a touchdown nearing the end of the fourth quarter.[38] The following week, the Eagles were eliminated from the playoffs after they lost 10–34 at theDallas Cowboys in the Divisional Round. The Cowboys would go on to winSuper Bowl XXVII to kickoff their dynasty.
He returned to training camp slated as thede facto No. 1 starting cornerback. After having four different players start alongside him at cornerback the previous season, the Eagles opted to select cornerbackDerrick Frazier in the third round (75th overall) of the1993 NFL draft. Head coach Rich Kotite named Allen a starting cornerback to begin season and paired him withMark McMillian who won the role of the No. 2 starting cornerback after rookie Derrick Frazier injured his knee in the preseason.[39]
On September 12, 1993, Allen made two solo tackles, a pass deflection, and sparked a fourth quarter by intercepting a pass byBrett Favre on the first play of the fourth quarter as the Eagles were trailing 7–17 and returned it 16 yards to the Packers' 26–yard line.[40] His interception sparked a ten-point, fourth-quarter comeback as the Eagles scored 13 points unanswered, leading to a 20–17 victory at theGreen Bay Packers.[41] The following week, he made three combined tackles (two solo), a pass deflection, and returned an interception he made on a passCary Conklin threw to running backEarnest Byner for a 29–yard touchdown as the Eagles defeated theWashington Redskins 31–34 in Week 3.[42]
On October 3, 1993, he made six combined tackles (five solo), two pass deflections, and had a game-winning pick-six to lead the Eagles to a 35–30 fourth quarter comeback victory at theNew York Jets.[43] Allen intercepted a pass attempt byBoomer Esiason to wide receiverChris Burkett and returned it 94 yards for a touchdown as the Eagles were trailing 28–30 midway through the fourth quarter.[44][45] Starting quarterbackRandall Cunningham had fractured his fibula in the second quarter and was sideline with crutches as Allen scored and celebrated by running up to Cunningham and handing him the ball. The ensuing 94–yard touchdown return was declared "Greatest Interception Return in NFL History" bySteve Sabol ofNFL Films.[46] In Week 15, he recorded five solo tackles, set a season-high with three pass deflections, and picked off a passJim Kelly threw to wide receiverBill Brooks during a 10–7 loss to theBuffalo Bills.
On December 26, 1993, Allen had another amazing performance when he made three pass deflections, set a season-high with two interceptions, and returned both for touchdowns as the Eagles defeated theNew Orleans Saints 26–37. During the third quarter, Allen interceptedSteve Walsh's pass attempt to wide receiverEric Martin and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown to increase the lead to 24–12. He set a career-high with his fourth pick-six of the season by picking off Steve Walsh again on a pass to wide receiverTorrance Small and had a 25–yard return for a touchdown.[47] He four pick-sixes tied an NFL recorded for the most pick-sixes in a single season, along with safetiesJim Kearney(1972) andKen Houston(1971). In2023,Cowboys' cornerbackDaRon Bland broke the surpassed Allen with five interceptions returned for touchdowns in a single season. In Week 18, he set a season-high with seven solo tackles and had one pass break-up during a 37–34 overtime victory at theSan Francisco 49ers.[48] He started in all 16 games throughout the season and finished with 64 combined tackles (53 solo), 17 pass deflections, six interceptions, and four touchdowns.[14] He was selected to appear in the1994 Pro Bowl, marking the fourth of his career.
He returned as the No. 1 starting cornerback and was paired withMark McMillan. In Week 8, he set a season-high with five solo tackles, made one pass deflection, and intercepted a passCody Carlson threw to wide receiverHaywood Jeffires as the Eagles defeated theHouston Oilers 6–21.[49] In Week 10, he set a season-high with six combined tackles (four solo) during a 7–17 victory against theArizona Cardinals.[50] In Week 17, Allen recorded five solo tackles and set a season-high with three pass deflections during a 30–33 loss at theCincinnati Bengals.[50] He started in all 16 games and recorded 57 combined tackles (46 solo), 14 pass deflections, and made three interceptions.[14]
Following the conclusion of the1994 NFL season, Allen became an unrestricted free agent allowing him to sign with any team. ThePhiladelphia Eagles designated Allen with their transition tag which gave them an opportunity to retain him if they agreed to match any contract offers that were submitted by any interested teams within seven days.[51]
On March 18, 1995, theNew Orleans Saints submitted a contract offer sheet, but were only able to acquire Allen if the Eagles declined to match their offer within seven days.[52][51] The following day, the Eagles officially declined to match the Saints' contract offer. The same day, the New Orleans Saints officially signed Allen to a five–year, $14 million contract that included an initial signing bonus of $4.25 million.[5][52] Allen was acquired in order to provide stability as a veteran cornerback following the departures ofReggie Jones andCarl Lee. He entered training camp slated as the No. 1 starting cornerback under defensive coordinatorMonte Kiffin. Head coachJim E. Mora named Allen andJimmy Spencer as the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.
On November 5, 1995, Allen made four solo tackles, one pass deflection, and had his first interception with the Saints on a pass attempt thrown byChris Miller to wide receiverIsaac Bruce during a 10–19 victory against theSt. Louis Rams.[53] In Week 12, he set a season-high with eight solo tackles during a 24–43 loss at theMinnesota Vikings.[54] On November 26, 1995, Allen recorded two combined tackles (one solo), set a season-high with two pass deflections, and intercepted a passKerry Collins to wide receiverEric Guliford late in the fourth quarter as the Saints defeated theCarolina Panthers 26–34.[55] He started in all 16 games for the fifth consecutive season and recorded 59 combined tackles (44 solo), six pass deflections, and two interceptions.[14] He was selected for the1996 Pro Bowl.
The Saints promoted linebackers coachJim Haslett to defensive coordinator after the departure of Monte Kiffin. Former Number 2 starting cornerback Jimmy Spencer signed with the Bengals as a free agent. The Saints subsequently signedMark McMillian, who previously played alongside Allen with the Eagles, and also selected cornerbackAlex Molden in the first round (11th overall) of the1996 NFL draft. Head coach Jim Mora named Allen and Mark McMillian the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.[56] On October 21, 1996, head coach Jim Mora announced his resignation after the Saints fell to a 2–6 record. Linebackers coachRick Venturi was appointed to interim head coach. In Week 7, he set season-highs with seven solo tackles and three pass deflections during a 27–24 victory at theChicago Bears. On December 21, 1996, Allen made five combined tackles (four solo), three pass deflections, and had his lone interception of the season on a passTony Banks threw to Isaac Bruce during a 13–14 loss at theSt. Louis Rams.[57] He started in all 16 games throughout the1996 NFL season and recorded 51 combined tackles (48 solo), 19 pass deflections, and one interception.[14]
On January 28, 1997, theNew Orleans Saints announced their decision to hireMike Ditka to be their new head coach.[58] He returned to training camp slated as the No. 1 starting cornerback under defensive coordinator Zaven Yaralian. Head coach Mike Ditka named Allen and Alex Molden the starting cornerbacks to begin the season following the departure of Mark McMillian. On August 31, 1996, Allen started in the Saints' season-opener atLos Angeles Rams and recorded four solo tackles, one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass Tony Banks to wide receiver Torrance Small as they lost 24–38.[59] In Week 3, Allen and head coach Mike Ditka got into an heated argument and had to be restrained by teammates as the Saints were being shutout 0–23 at theSan Francisco 49ers.[60] In Week 4, Allen recorded five combined tackles (four solo), set a season-high with two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass attempt fromScott Mitchell toHerman Moore during a 17–35 victory against theDetroit Lions.[61] In Week 12, he set a season-high with six solo tackles as the Saints defeated theSeattle Seahawks in overtime 20–17. He started in all 16 games and recorded 50 combined tackles (45 solo), six pass deflections, and two interceptions.[14]Following the end of the season, Allen immediately requested a trade to another team although he had one year remaining on his contract as he was desiring to join a playoff contender as he was nearing the end of his career. Head coach Mike Ditka asked if he had any preferences and Allen stated his ideal team were theSan Francisco 49ers, but was rebuffed as the 49ers were a direct division rival.[60] Raiders' defensive coordinatorWillie Shaw had recruited to play at Arizona State while he was their defensive backs coach, but departed shortly after. Shaw asked Allen to consider joining the Raiders and set up a visit although Allen was not interested. During the visit, Allen met with Shaw and was told they planned to draft a cornerback to play alongside him.
On March 5, 1998, theOakland Raiders traded a fourth round pick (97th overall) in the1998 NFL draft to theNew Orleans Saints in return for Eric Allen. The Raiders selected cornerbackCharles Woodson fourth overall in the 1998 NFL Draft.
On April 15, 1998, theOakland Raiders signed Allen to a three–year, $8 million contract extension that included a signing bonus of $1 million.[5]
On October 4, 1998, Allen made five solo tackles, two pass deflections, and intercepted a passJake Plummer threw to fullbackLarry Centers during a 23–20 victory at theArizona Cardinals.[62] In Week 8, Allen recorded two solo tackles, set a season-high with four pass deflections, and intercepted a passJeff Blake threw toCarl Pickens during a 10–27 win against theCincinnati Bengals.[63] On Week 9, he set a season-high with eight solo tackles and made one pass deflection during a 31–18 victory at theSeattle Seahawks.
(On the impact of losing Allen)
“It's huge! The guy's one of the leaders of the team. He just took over the defense."[64]
In Week 11, he made one solo tackle, a pass deflection, and intercepted a passWarren Moon threw to wide receiverJoey Galloway, but sustained an injury while returning it, exiting in the second quarter as the Raiders defeated the Seattle Seahawks 17–20.[65] On November 18, 1998, the Raiders officially placed him on injured reserve for the remainder of the season as he would require surgery to repair thetorn ACL in his left knee.[66] He subsequently remained inactive for the last six games of the season (Weeks 12–17). His injury ended a streak of 136 consecutive starts and was the first game he missed since 1989. He finished the season with 35 combined tackles (33 solo), 17 pass deflections, and five interceptions in ten games and ten starts.[14] At the time of his injury, the Raiders had a 7–3 record before losing five of the last six games to finish 8–8.
He returned to training camp slated as the No. 2 starting cornerback. Head coachJon Gruden named Allen and Charles Woodson the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.[67] In Week 7, he recorded three combined tackles (two solo), made two pass deflection, and intercepted a pass attempt byRick Mirer as the Raiders defeated theNew York Jets 24–23. In Week 11, he set a season-high with nine solo tackles and made one pass deflection during a 21–27 loss at theDenver Broncos.[68] On December 26, 1999, he recorded five combined tackles (four solo) and set a season-high with three pass deflections during a 34–37 loss against theKansas City Chiefs. He started in all 16 games throughout the season and finished with 61 combined tackles (52 solo), 17 pass deflections, and three interceptions.[14]
On January 12, 2000, the Raiders abruptly fired defensive coordinatorWillie Shaw unexpectedly after deciding to promoteChuck Bresnahan to defensive coordinator for the upcoming season.
But he came back strong in2000 and had a season to remember, with six interceptions, including a team-record three for touchdowns. His teammates honored him with the first annualEric Turner award for the Raiders' most outstanding defensive player. The award was created in the memory of the Oaklandfree safety who 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 Champions into theBreitbard Hall of Fame honoring San Diego's finest athletes both on and off the playing surface.[69]
| 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 | |
Allen joinedESPN 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.
On December 19, 2018, Allen was named defensive backs coach for theSan Diego Fleet of theAlliance of American Football.[70]
He now lives inSan Diego, California with his wife Lynn Allen, with whom he has four children.[citation needed]
SAN DIEGO FLEET — Named Eric Allen defensive backs coach andLaMont Jordan running backs coach.