Marcus LeMarr Allen (born March 26, 1960) is an American former professionalfootballrunning back who played in theNational Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons, primarily with theLos Angeles Raiders. Considered one of the greatest goal line and short-yard runners in NFL history,[1] he was selected 10th overall by the Raiders in the1982 NFL draft, following a successfulcollege football career with theUSC Trojans. He was a member of the Raiders for 11 seasons and spent his last five seasons with theKansas City Chiefs.
During his professional career, Allen ran for 12,243 yards and caught 587 passes for 5,412 yards. He also scored 145touchdowns, including a then-league-record 123 rushing touchdowns, and was elected to sixPro Bowls. While with the Raiders, he helped the team winSuper Bowl XVIII. He was the first NFL player to gain more than 10,000 rushing yards and 5,000 receiving yards during his career. Allen has the distinction of being the only player to have won theHeisman Trophy, namedUnanimous All-American, won anAFCA National Championship Trophy, theSuper Bowl, and be namedNFL MVP andSuper Bowl MVP.[2] He was inducted to theCollege Football Hall of Fame in 2000, thePro Football Hall of Fame in 2003, and theInternational Sports Hall of Fame in 2021.[3]
Allen played football atAbraham Lincoln High School in San Diego, California, where he played thequarterback andsafety positions.[4][5] Watching Allen in the 1977 CIF Title game againstKearny High School, one saw the emergence of a superstar. Allen led the Lincoln team to a 34–6 victory, scoring five touchdowns, including one after intercepting a pass. Allen rushed for 195 yards.[6] Allen won the Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Football, awarded to California's best high school football player, in 1977.[7]
Allen played running back at theUniversity of Southern California (USC) from 1978 to 1981, playing on the same team as fellow hall of famerRonnie Lott for his first three seasons and hall of famerAnthony Munoz for his first two. He was recruited as a safety, but head coachJohn Robinson switched him to tailback.[8] As a freshman in 1978, Allen was a member of the Trojans'National Championship team (as recognized by thecoaches poll), playing as a backup to eventualHeisman Trophy winning running backCharles White.[2]
In 1979, he was moved to fullback, recording 879 yards from scrimmage. Eventually, in 1980, Allen became the starter at tailback and rushed for 1,563 yards, the third-most in the nation that year (behindGeorge Rogers of S. Carolina – 1,781 yards andHerschel Walker of Georgia – 1,616). In 1981, Allen rushed for 2,342 yards, becoming only the second player in NCAA history to rush for over 2,000 yards in one season,[citation needed] passing the 2,000-yard mark in a win atCal. He also gained a total of 2,559 offensive yards, led the nation in scoring,[9] and won the Heisman Trophy, theMaxwell Award, andWalter Camp Award. He was also thePac-10 Player of the Year. Allen shares theNCAA record for most 200-yard rushing games withRicky Williams andRon Dayne, each completing the feat twelve times.[citation needed]
Allen finished his four college seasons with 4,682 rushing yards, 5,403 scrimmage yards, and 47 touchdowns, while averaging 5.2 yards per carry.[10] USC has retired his jersey No. 33.[citation needed]
| Season | Rushing | Receiving | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | |
| 1978 | 31 | 171 | 5.5 | 17 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1979 | 105 | 606 | 5.8 | 38 | 8 | 20 | 273 | 13.7 | 34 | 0 |
| 1980 | 354 | 1,563 | 4.4 | 45 | 14 | 30 | 231 | 7.7 | 19 | 1 |
| 1981 | 403 | 2,342 | 5.8 | 74 | 22 | 29 | 217 | 7.5 | 50 | 1 |
| Totals[10] | 893 | 4,682 | 5.2 | 74 | 45 | 79 | 721 | 9.1 | 50 | 2 |
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Allen was drafted as the 10th overall pick in the1982 NFL draft by theLos Angeles Raiders.[8] Allen was pleased that he didn't have to travel as the team had just relocated from Oakland. Allen has recalled that shortly before he was drafted, the Raiders asked him his weight (he answered 200 or 212) and then drafted him soon after. Though his rookie season was shortened by a league strike, Allen rushed for 697 yards and led the Raiders to the best record in theAFC at 8–1. He was voted theNFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.[8] The Raiders lost to theNew York Jets in the AFC Divisional Playoffs.
The next season, Allen broke the 1,000-yard mark for the first time, an accomplishment he would repeat the two following years.[8] During the1985 season, he rushed for 1,759 yards and scored 11 touchdowns on 380 carries, leading the Raiders to a 12–4 record and theAFC West Division Championship. In addition, Allen was named theNFL MVP.[8]
InSuper Bowl XVIII on January 22, 1984, Allen ran for 191 yards, caught two passes for 18 yards, and scored two touchdowns in the Raiders' 38–9 victory over theWashington Redskins.[8] Included in his stats was a 74-yard touchdown run,[8] a feat that remained the longest run in Super Bowl history untilWillie Parker's 75-yard run inSuper Bowl XL. Allen's 191 rushing yards were also a Super Bowl record, which stood untilTimmy Smith of the Redskins topped it with 204 yards inSuper Bowl XXII. Upon winning the game, Allen joined a small group of players to win both the Heisman Trophy andSuper Bowl MVP (Roger Staubach,Jim Plunkett, and laterDesmond Howard).[citation needed] In total, Allen rushed 58 times for 466 yards and four touchdowns during the playoffs. He also added 118 yards and one touchdown on 14 receptions.[12]
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Allen ended the 1985 season on a strong note, finishing the year as the NFL rushing leader with 9 consecutive 100-yard games.
From 1987 through 1990, Allen shared the backfield withBo Jackson. Initially, Allen was commended for his gracious nature and team spirit for sharing the spotlight during the prime of his career.[13] In later seasons with the Raiders, Allen had a stormy relationship with ownerAl Davis stemming from a contract dispute; Davis referred to Allen as a "cancer to the team."[14] He also missed most of the1989 season with a knee injury. Allen was relegated to back-up duty in his final three seasons with the Raiders and, at one time, fell to fourth on the depth chart.[15] Allen's strained relationship with Davis reached an all-time low in December 1992. During halftime of the Raiders-Dolphins game onMonday Night Football, a taped interview betweenAl Michaels and Allen was broadcast in which Allen said that Davis "told me he was going to get me", adding, "I think he [Davis] tried to ruin the latter part of my career, tried to devalue me. He's trying to stop me from going to the Hall of Fame. They don't want me to play."[16]
Allen eventually left Los Angeles and joined theKansas City Chiefs in 1993. Although he only rushed for 764 yards that year, he scored 12 touchdowns,[8] leading the AFC,[17] as he andJoe Montana led the Chiefs to the AFC Championship Game. Allen scored touchdowns in all three Chiefs playoff games that year, and was named theNFL Comeback Player of the Year by thePro Football Writers Association. With the retirement ofEric Dickerson in 1993, Allen became the active leader in career rushing yards, a position he maintained until being passed byBarry Sanders in week 1 of 1997. Allen went on to play for the Chiefs for four more seasons, leading the team in rushing every year but his last.
Allen retired after the1997 season.[8] In 1999, he was ranked 72nd onThe Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. Allen was inducted into thePro Football Hall of Fame in 2003. Allen was also inducted into theCalifornia Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.
In 1999,[18] Allen was also inducted into theSan Diego Hall of Champions Breitbard Hall of Fame.[19][20]
In 2008, Allen joined as a spokesman for the sports website OPENSports.com, the brainchild ofMike Levy, founder and former CEO ofCBS Sportsline.com. Allen wrote a blog and occasionally answered member questions for the company during this time.[when?][21]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| APNFL MVP &OPOTY | |
| Super Bowl MVP | |
| Won theSuper Bowl | |
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Underline | Incomplete data |
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Y/R | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 1982 | LAR | 9 | 9 | 160 | 697 | 4.4 | 53 | 11 | 38 | 401 | 10.6 | 51 | 3 | 5 | — |
| 1983 | LAR | 16 | 15 | 266 | 1,014 | 3.8 | 74 | 9 | 68 | 590 | 8.7 | 36 | 2 | 14 | — |
| 1984 | LAR | 16 | 16 | 275 | 1,168 | 4.2 | 52 | 13 | 64 | 758 | 11.8 | 92 | 5 | 8 | — |
| 1985 | LAR | 16 | 16 | 380 | 1,759 | 4.6 | 61 | 11 | 67 | 555 | 8.3 | 44 | 3 | 3 | — |
| 1986 | LAR | 13 | 10 | 208 | 759 | 3.6 | 28 | 5 | 46 | 453 | 9.8 | 36 | 2 | 7 | — |
| 1987 | LAR | 12 | 12 | 200 | 754 | 3.8 | 44 | 5 | 51 | 410 | 8.0 | 39 | 0 | 3 | — |
| 1988 | LAR | 15 | 15 | 223 | 831 | 3.7 | 32 | 7 | 34 | 303 | 8.9 | 30 | 1 | 5 | — |
| 1989 | LAR | 8 | 5 | 69 | 293 | 4.2 | 15 | 2 | 20 | 191 | 9.6 | 26 | 0 | 2 | — |
| 1990 | LAR | 16 | 15 | 179 | 682 | 3.8 | 28 | 12 | 15 | 189 | 12.6 | 30 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 1991 | LAR | 8 | 2 | 63 | 287 | 4.6 | 26 | 2 | 15 | 131 | 8.7 | 25 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1992 | LAR | 16 | 0 | 67 | 301 | 4.5 | 21 | 2 | 28 | 277 | 9.9 | 40 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 1993 | KC | 16 | 10 | 206 | 764 | 3.7 | 39 | 12 | 34 | 238 | 7.0 | 18 | 3 | 4 | — |
| 1994 | KC | 13 | 13 | 189 | 709 | 3.8 | 36 | 7 | 42 | 349 | 8.3 | 38 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 1995 | KC | 16 | 15 | 207 | 890 | 4.3 | 38 | 5 | 27 | 210 | 7.8 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 1996 | KC | 16 | 15 | 206 | 830 | 4.0 | 35 | 9 | 27 | 270 | 10.0 | 59 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1997 | KC | 16 | 0 | 124 | 505 | 4.1 | 30 | 11 | 11 | 86 | 7.8 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Career | 222 | 168 | 3,022 | 12,243 | 4.1 | 74 | 123 | 587 | 5,411 | 9.2 | 92 | 21 | 65 | 5 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Y/R | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 1982 | RAI | 2 | 2 | 32 | 108 | 3.4 | 13 | 3 | 12 | 112 | 9.3 | 35 | 0 | 2 | — |
| 1983 | RAI | 3 | 3 | 58 | 466 | 8.0 | 74 | 4 | 14 | 118 | 8.4 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1984 | RAI | 1 | 1 | 17 | 61 | 3.6 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 90 | 18.0 | 46 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 1985 | RAI | 1 | 1 | 22 | 121 | 5.5 | 17 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 2.7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1990 | RAI | 2 | 2 | 31 | 166 | 5.4 | 20 | 0 | 3 | 43 | 14.3 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | RAI | 1 | 1 | 7 | 39 | 5.6 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1993 | KC | 3 | 3 | 53 | 191 | 3.6 | 24 | 3 | 7 | 77 | 11.0 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | KC | 1 | 1 | 14 | 64 | 4.6 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 49 | 9.8 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1995 | KC | 1 | 1 | 21 | 94 | 4.5 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 21 | 10.5 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 | KC | 1 | 0 | 12 | 37 | 3.1 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 16 | 15 | 267 | 1,347 | 5.0 | 74 | 11 | 53 | 530 | 10.0 | 46 | 2 | 7 | 1 | |
In 1986, Allen metKathryn Eickstaedt and the two later got engaged.[22] They married in 1993 atO.J. Simpson's Rockingham estate, since Allen was friends with Simpson.[23] Allen played the role of Rick Lambert in the sitcom1st & Ten with Simpson in the mid-80's. Allen and Eickstaedt's engagement was mentioned inFaye Resnick's book,Nicole Brown Simpson: The Private Diary of a Life Interrupted, which was published duringSimpson's murder trial. Resnick claimedNicole Brown Simpson was having an affair with Allen, and Eickstaedt was aware of Allen's womanizing ways, and if she knew of the affair, she would have to call off the wedding.[24] Sports agentMike Gilbert (who had represented both Allen and Simpson) and actressRobin Greer both also claimed inO.J.: Made in America that Simpson and Allen had had a romantic relationship.[25] Allen and Eickstaedt were summoned to testify in the trial but fought the subpoena as they wanted to stay out of it.[26] The couple divorced in 2001.[27][28]
Allen is the older brother ofCanadian Football Hall of FamequarterbackDamon Allen.[29]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
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