Marcus Allen, the tenth player selected in the 1982 National Football League Draft, played 16 seasons with the Los Angeles Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs. During that time he gained 12,243 yards rushing, 5,411 yards receiving, and scored 145 touchdowns.
Considered one of the game’s best goal line and short-yardage runners, Marcus began his pro career as the NFL Rookie of the Year and ended as the game’s all-time rushing touchdown leader.
At the time of his retirement following the 1997 season, he held the single-season record for most rushing and receiving yards combined (2,314), second in consecutive 100-yard games, and was third in career-combined yardage. During his 11 seasons with the Raiders, the former University of Southern California standout, was named to the Pro Bowl five times. He added a sixth appearance in 1994, as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.
He was the Raiders leading ground gainer seven consecutive years and the Chiefs four consecutive times. He even led the Raiders in receptions with 51 in 1987. Allen’s big-game performance in Super Bowl XVIII when the Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins 38-9 earned the then-second-year player game MVP honors. In that game he rushed for 191 yards and scored two touchdowns, one a Super Bowl record 74-yard gallop.
Allen’s finest season came in 1985, as he led the league with 1,759 rushing yards on 380 carries for a 4.6 yards per carry average and 11 touchdowns. He also caught 67 passes for 555 yards and scored an additional three touchdowns. For his performance he was rewarded with league MVP honors.
In 1995, Marcus made NFL history when he became when he became the first player in league history to rush for over 10,000 yards and catch passes for 5,000 more. As further evidence of his versatility, Allen completed 12 of 27 passes for 282 yards and six touchdowns during his career.
In 15 career playoff games, he carried the ball 267 times for 1,347 yards and 11 touchdowns, averaging an impressive 5.0 yards per carry average. He also added 52 catches for 522 yards and two receiving touchdowns.
All-Pro: 1982 (AP, PFWA, NEA, PW), 1985 (AP, PFWA, NEA, SN)
All-Pro Second Team: 1984 (AP, NEA)
All-AFC: 1982 (UPI), 1984 (UPI, PW), 1985 (UPI), 1993 (UPI, PW)
All-AFC Second Team: 1986 (UPI)
(6) - 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987*, 1988, 1994
* Did not play
(at time of his retirement following the 1997 season)
[1st] Most Touchdowns Rushing, Career - 123
[2nd] Most Touchdowns, Career - 145
[2nd] Most Rushing Attempts, Career - 3,022
[2nd] Most Consecutive Games, 100 or More Yards Rushing - 11 (1985-1986)
[2nd] Most Combined Net Yards Attempts, Career - 3,624
[2nd] Most Combined Net Yards Attempts, Season - 449 (1985)
[3rd] Most Combined Net Yards Gained, Career - 17,648
[Tied for 3rd] Most Games, 100 or More Yards Rushing, Season - 11 (1985)
Super Bowl Records
[1st] Longest Run From Scrimmage - 74 (Super Bowl XVIII)
[1st] Highest Average Rushing Gain, Career - 9.6 (Super Bowl XVIII)
[2nd] Most Yards Rushing, Game - 191 (Super Bowl XVIII)
[2nd] Highest Average Rushing Gain, Game - 9.6 (Super Bowl XVIII)
[Tied for 2nd] Most Touchdowns, Game - 2 (Super Bowl XVIII)
[Tied for 2nd] Most Rushing Touchdowns, Game - 2 (Super Bowl XVIII)
[2nd] Highest Average Rushing Gain, Career - 5.04
[Tied for 2nd] Most Consecutive Games Scoring Touchdown - 7 (1982-1985)
[Tied for 3rd] Most Games 100 or More Yards Rushing, Career - 5
[Tied for 3rd] Most Consecutive Games 100 or More Yards Rushing - 3 (1983)
[3rd] Longest run from scrimmage - 74 (Super Bowl XVIII)
[3rd] Most Combined Net Yards Gained, Career - 1,877
Team Records
Raiders' records held by Allen
(Records through the 1992 season, Allen's final season with Los Angeles)
[1st] Most Touchdowns, Career - 95
[1st] Most Touchdowns, Season - 18 (1984)
[1st] Most Rushing Attempts, Career - 2,090
[1st Most Rushing Attempts, Season - 380 (1985)
[1st] Most Rushing Yards, Career - 8,545
[1st] Most Rushing Yards, Season - 1,759 (1985)
[1st] Most Touchdowns Rushing, Career - 79
[1st] Most Consecutive Games 100 or More Rushing Yards - 11 (1985-1986)
[1st] Most Games 100 or more Rushing Yards - 22
[Tied for 1st] Most Rushing Touchdowns, Game - 3 (vs. L.A. Rams, Dec. 18, 1982; vs. San Diego, Sept. 24, 1984; at Miami, Dec. 2, 1984; vs. San Diego, Oct. 28, 1985)
[Tied for 1st] Most Points, Game - 24 (vs. San Diego, Sept. 24, 1984)
[Tied for 1st] Most Touchdowns, Game - 4 (vs. San Diego, Sept. 24, 1984)
[2nd] Most Touchdowns Rushing, Season - 13 (1984)
[2nd] Most Rushing Attempts, Game - 33 (at Green Bay, Sept. 13, 1987)
[3rd] Most Rushing Attempts, Season - 275 (1984)
[3rd] Most Rushing Yards, Season - 1,168 (1984)
[3rd] Most Touchdowns Rushing, Season - 12 (1990)
Post-Season Records
[1st] Most Rushing Yards, Career - 933
[1st] Most Rushing Touchdowns, Career - 8
[1st] Highest Rushing Average, Career - 5.9
[1st] Most Rushing Attempts, Game - 25 (vs. Seattle, Jan. 8, 1984)
[1st] Most Yards Rushing, Game - 191 (vs. Washington, Super Bowl XVIII)
[1st] Longest Rush From Scrimmage - 74 (vs. Washington, Super Bowl XVIII)
[Tied 1st] Most Touchdowns, Career - 10
[Tied for 1st] Most Touchdowns Rushing, Game - 2 (vs. Cleveland, Jan. 8, 1983; vs. Pittsburgh, Jan. 1, 1984; vs. Washington Super Bowl XVIII)
[2nd] Most Rushing Attempts, Career - 157
[2nd] Most Yards Rushing, Game - 154 (vs. Seattle, Jan. 8, 1984)
[2nd] Highest Average Rushing, Game - 9.6 (vs. Washington, Super Bowl XVIII)
[3rd] Most Rushing Attempts, Game - 22 (vs. New England, Jan. 5, 1986)
[3rd] Most Receptions, Career - 36
Chiefs' records held by Allen
(Records through the 1997 season, Allen's final season with Kansas City)
[1st] Most Consecutive Games Scoring Touchdown - 7 (1993)
[1st] Most Touchdowns Rushing, Career - 44
[2nd] Most Touchdowns, Season - 15 (1993)
[Tied for 2nd] Most Touchdowns Rushing, Season - 12 (1993)
[Tied for 2nd] Most Touchdowns Rushing, Game - 3 (vs. Seattle, Dec. 5, 1993)
[3rd] Most Rushing Attempts, Career - 932
[3rd] Most Touchdowns Rushing, Season - 11 (1997)
[Tied for 3rd] Most Touchdowns, Game - 3 (vs. Seattle, Dec. 5, 1993)
[1st] Most Rushing Attempts, Career - 100
[1st] Most Yards Gained, Career - 386
[1st] Most Combined Net Yards Attempts, Career - 147
[1st] Most Combined Net Yards, Career - 541
[Tied for 1st] Most Touchdowns, Career - 3
[Tied for 1st] Most Rushing Touchdowns, Career - 3
[Tied for 3rd] Most Points, Career - 18
[Tied for 3rd] Most Yards Gained Rushing, Game - 94 (vs. Indianapolis, Jan. 7, 1995)
NFL Statistical Championships
Touchdown Leader: 1982, 1984
Rushing Leader: 1985
Scoring Leader: 1982
AFC Statistical Championships
Touchdown Leader: 1982, 1984, 1993
Scoring Leader: 1982
Rushing Leader: 1985
Team Statistical Championships
Rushing Leader: 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996
Receiving Leader: 1987
Scoring Leader: 1982, 1984
Los Angeles Raiders Kansas City Chiefs
1982 Rookie of the Year (PFWA, NEA, SN)
1982 AFC Rookie of the Year (UPI)
1982 Offensive Rookie of the Year (AP, PW)
Super Bowl XVIII MVP
1985 NFL MVP/Player of the Year (PFWA, AP, SN)
1985 NFL Offensive MVP/Player of the Year (AP)
1985 AFC Offensive MVP (UPI)
1993 Comeback Player of the Year (PFWA)