Eric Allen

Championship Games

2000 AFC — Baltimore Ravens 16, Oakland Raiders 3

• Allen started at right cornerback and made two tackles.

ALL-LEAGUE TEAMS

All-Pro: 1989 (AP, PFWA)

All-Pro Second Team: 1989 (NEA), 1991 (AP, NEA), 1993 (AP)

All-NFC: 1989 (PFWA, UPI), 1992 (UPI), 1993 (PFWA, UPI)

All-NFC Second Team: 1994 (UPI), 1995 (UPI)

PRO BOWLS

(6): 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996

NFL RECORDS

At the time of his retirement following the 2001 season

• [1st - tied] Most interceptions returned for touchdown, season — 4 (1993)
• [1st - tied] Most interceptions returned for touchdown, game — 2 (vs. Saints, Dec. 25, 1993)
• [2nd - tied] Most interceptions returned for touchdown, season — 3 (2000)
• [3rd - tied] Most interceptions returned for touchdown, career — 8

TEAM RECORDS

Eagles records held by Allen
Records through the 1994 season, Allen's final season with the Eagles

• [1st] Most interceptions returned for touchdown, career — 5
• [1st] Most interceptions returned for touchdown, season — 4 (1993)
• [1st] Most interceptions returned for touchdown, game — 2 (vs. Saints, Dec. 25, 1993)
• [1st - tied] Most interceptions, career — 34
• [2nd] Longest interception return — 94 yards, TD (at Jets, Oct. 3, 1993)
• [2nd] Most interception return yards, career – 482
• [2nd] Most interception return yards, season — 201 (1993)
• [4th] Most games with multiple interceptions — 4 

Postseason records

• [1st - tied] Most interceptions, game — 2 (at Saints, Jan. 3, 1993)
• [3rd - tied] Most interceptions, career — 3

Raiders records held by Allen
Records through the 2001 season, Allen's final season with the Raiders

• [1st] Most interceptions returned for touchdown, season — 3 (2000)

LEAGUE/TEAM STATISTICAL TITLES

NFC statistical championships
Interception titles: 1989

Team statistical championships
Interception titles: Eagles — 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993; Raiders — 1998, 1999, 2000

 

YEAR-BY-YEAR TEAM RECORDS

 

Year	Team	W	L	T	Divison Finish
1988	Philadelphia Eagles	10	6	0	(1st)
1989	Philadelphia Eagles	11	5	0	(2nd)
1990	Philadelphia Eagles	10	6	0	(2nd)
1991	Philadelphia Eagles	10	6	0	(3rd)
1992	Philadelphia Eagles	11	5	0	(2nd)
1993	Philadelphia Eagles	8	8	0	(3rd)
1994	Philadelphia Eagles	7	9	0	(4th)
1995	New Orleans Saints	7	9	0	(5th)
1996	New Orleans Saints	3	13	0	(5th)
1997	New Orleans Saints	6	10	0	(4th)
1998	Oakland Raiders	8	8	0	(2nd)
1999	Oakland Raiders	8	8	0	(4th)
2000	Oakland Raiders	12	4	0	(1st)
2001	Oakland Raiders	10	6	0	(1st)

 

Qualified for postseason in bold.

Full name: Eric Andre Allen

Birthdate: Nov. 22, 1965

Birthplace: San Diego, California

High school: Point Loma (Calif.)

Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame: Jan. 14, 2025

Other members of the Class of 2025: Jared Allen, Antonio Gates, Sterling Sharpe.

Pro career: 14 seasons, 217 games.

Drafted: 2nd round (30th overall) in 1988 by Philadelphia Eagles

Uniform number: 21

All right. Thank you, guys. Thank you. 

Beautiful day today. Beautiful day today. 

Ready, Presley? You ready? There we go. There we go. 

Oh, man, this is awesome. This is amazing, guys. Just want to be blessed here, thank God and kind of understand what's important. 

I want to thank the Hall of Fame. Jim does a great job. The National Football League. Everyone who's associated with the Hall of Fame. Our guy, Hayden, who drove us around, excuse me, who was around us all week, did an amazing job. Adrian does an amazing job. It's just been incredible. 

Deeply grateful for this incredible honor. We all share a deep love and respect for the game of football, and it transcends time and place.

Football incentivizes what's special about football, the pursuit of excellence. In short, calls for everything you got, and that's what I tried to give it. 

My football journey started in southeast San Diego, my grandmother's house. There you go. My grandmother's house, 42nd and Oceanview. I love you, Cee. I love you, Mike. Yes, my grandmother was a beautiful woman, inside and out, always a kind word in difficult situations, and her famous lemon pound cake on the stove after a good game, which I had many. 

There was my mom, Alyce. She's got that independent spirit, that tremendous work ethic, the incredible belief that I could accomplish anything. My mom was a woman of confidence and courage. I love you, mom. 

My first coach and teacher, mentor and hero was my older brother, Craig. Craig carried to me ... he carried me in the house after the hospital. Was a little disappointed. I couldn't play catch on that first day, right? I was just a baby. But his time with me, his ability to understand what I needed to do to be successful. He poured into me his time that he was willing, his precious time that he was willing to give me made all the difference. And that's one of the big reasons why I'm standing here today. I love you, Cree. I love you. 

Growing up in San Diego and on 42nd and Oceanview, it felt as though every home on that house was extended family, and I just remember those days very fondly. So right now, I'd like to thank the Websters, the Phillips, the Belchers, Adams, Landers, Taylors and Holts. Those families, along with my grandmother, my mom and Craig, are the reason why I'm standing here, right here today. 

Thank you, guys.

My journey in football began at Valencia Park Pop Warner. That's where I started. The green and white. Watching Marcus Allen in high school. Those coaches gave me the freedom to call my own plays. It was a 17 sweep. And I tell you, when I made, when I ran that, I was No. 12, but I thought in my mind I was Cliff Branch when I was running, you know, the speedy guy from the Oakland Raiders. 

Just loved the fact that those coaches poured into us. They taught us resilience, confidence, what it is to be a football team. And I appreciate those coaches at Valencia Park. From then you go to high school and have great homeboys at high school. Yeah, there they are; there they are. There you go; there you go. I love my homeboys. Just chilling after practice, dreaming big about the future. 

Who would have thought we'd be here now? And my homeboys were there for me when my grandmother passed away right before high school. I needed that, and I appreciate you guys. So, Coop, Mark, John and our guy, Calvin. Who would have thought we'd be here now standing here? But we are. I appreciate you guys and love you guys.

Hopefully Coach Shaw is out there somewhere, but if he's not, I appreciate you, Coach Shaw, for drafting me, recruiting me, to Arizona State. I saw my Arizona State guys over there, yes, yeah, yeah. Coach Shaw came to San Diego. He's a San Diego guy, recruits me to Arizona State, and he just kind of taught me the diligence, the patience, it takes to really define your game. 

He was the first guy that really believed in me. And Coach Shaw had a tremendous effect on my life. And every time in those meetings, and I know the DBs will kind of understand this, it was all about tips and overthrows. You got to get them all, right. So Willie Shaw, I really appreciate you. 

A few years later, we end up winning the Rose Bowl, and that incredible team at Arizona State, those teammates and coaches -- really appreciate you guys. I know many of you are here today. I really leaned on you guys. It was an incredible team, and we had some terrific times in Tempe.

Randall, behind me, always cracking jokes, trying to keep it light. Terrible sense of humor, but he was a great teammate, just like the rest of these teammates are out here. So I really appreciate all those great times in Tempe. 

Then we go to the draft in 1988. Thank you to the legend, Buddy Ryan, for drafting me in 1988.

It was an honor to wear those Kelly greens and represent the City of Brotherly Love. Whether it was Buddy's Boys or Bud Carson's Gang Green, we did so much damage on the football field -- all us Eagle guys. We had just an outstanding defensive football team. We continue to put it on, whether it's Seth, the late departed Reggie White, Clyde Simmons, a guy Byron Evans, just tremendous football team in Philadelphia. They'll always hold a special part in our lives. 

I grew up there in Philadelphia with the help of Mike Quick, Roynell Young. I became a man there, and I know my wife is pretty excited about that. So we have so many special times in that area, in Philly, and it's one thing that I want to say is Jeffrey Lurie is not here today, but I want to have a special gratitude to the Philadelphia Eagles organization and the tremendous football team that they put on the football field this year. Want to say, Fly, Eagles, fly! 

I want to thank Mr. and Mrs. Benson for the opportunity to join the Saints and play in the great City of New Orleans. I truly appreciate you guys giving me the opportunity to wear that jersey.

In 1998, the Hall of Famer iconic man Al Davis and Jon Gruden convinced me that joining the Oakland Raiders would be the perfect culmination of my career. They were absolutely correct. On that team, I played with tremendous coaches and tremendous players. Hall of Fame coaches Willie Brown, Freddie Biletnikoff. Outstanding players Charles Woodson, Timmy Brown, Jerry Rice. That was a culmination of outstanding football players, and we wanted to make sure the Raiders were able to come back and be a huge presence in Oakland. 

So I appreciate the Davis family for welcoming in and Raider Nation. Thank you.

As Charles Woodson would say: RAIDERS!

Yeah, and I want to thank my rep, Premier Sports Management. Gary, Joel, Steve, you guys played a tremendous part in my career, helped me bridge that gap between player and in the business side of football. You guys were there from the beginning. You followed me all through the end. I really appreciate you guys.

After hanging up my cleats, I was welcomed to another side of football at ESPN. I want to thank Seth, Norby, Boomer and the rest of the team at ESPN for welcoming a guy in. Fourteen beautiful years there working alongside some outstanding guys. Mike Quadry, Freddie Coleman, you guys are awesome, and you guys really showed me what it's like for a person who's not involved with football to have that passion, that love for the sport we are here for. So thank you, ESPN.

And now I have a new team, the Las Vegas Raiders. 

Thank you, Mark Davis, and the whole Raiders organization. Silver and Black Productions. Brad, Marcus, our guy -- our girl -- Amber, JJ. So many terrific people with Silver and Black. You are the reason why, along with my big-time best friend, JT the Brick, to be able to represent the Shield and what the Raiders organization is all about. 

Al Davis has a statement: "Commitment to Excellence." It's all over our building in Las Vegas. We are trying to make sure that we fulfill that destiny -- we fulfill what Al Davis was about. I really appreciate and humbly respect all the alumni for the Raiders and what they've been able to do to the Hall of Fame. And they've done an amazing job of helping my wife and my family here this whole journey that was the Hall of Fame. Thank you, Raider Nation. Thank you, Mark Davis.

Now, thanks to all my family and friends who've come out to celebrate with me. It's been just an awesome couple weeks here in Canton. We can't remember another time when you have their family and your friends, the fan base and celebrate football like we're doing today. Thank you. Thank you for all the unbelievable support. We know we have one guy at home. We're here, Joy. We made it, Joy. We're praying for you, and we love you, Joy. 

To all my brothers-in-law and guys in the family: I know I've raised the bar kind of high. You'll never be able to win an argument now. But it's important to know it's about living a full life, living a life that you want to respect everyone around you, living a life that you can respect others around you. Have an outstanding, full and better life.

Like my dad, Earl, did. Like my father-in-law, Dapper Dan. That's what it's about, living that type of life. 

To my sister, Valerie, and my sisters-in-law, they are the life of the party. You guys will definitely find that out tonight. If you're at our party, don't talk stats, because they know them, all right. Don't talk ... don't talk stats. 

You guys are the backbone of the family. You guys have helped us tremendously. We've always been there, and we needed to lean on you. And I know Grandma Babe is smiling on us now, and are so excited for where we are right now. And I know Grandma Allen up there in heaven, ready for that big hug. So yes, the family is the most important thing. 

To my granddaughter, Presley, and her incredible mom, Nicole: You're the sunshine in my life. You make Poppa's life so much better because you're in it. I love you guys. 

Shout out to our good friends, Tom and Tina. Where you at? Forty-four years ago, you introduced me to my wife. Thanks for the hookup.

Lynn Marie, you're perfect in my eyes. No words can express how much you mean to me and the family. For all the times I forgot to say, "I love you, and you're beautiful." I love you, and you're beautiful. You've had my back from Day 1. Fifteen years old. You've been there behind me.

I love you always and forever.

It's truly an honor here to be present among so many amazing football players, guys who had impact in my life. Of course, my guy Marcus. Mike Haynes. Darrell Green. Prime Time, who's not here. Just so many guys. And then there's those guys who had an impact in my life who are not here, so many teammates that we've all lost along the way. May their memory be a blessing.

These men have helped me understand that you have to have passion, devotion, abundance of patience. And these invaluable lessons have prepared me for the most significant job and passionate thing for me that I do, and that's being a dad to my four sons: Austin, Hunter, Jordan and Noah.

My oldest son, Austin, who presented me, is a super positive and talented man. I know that he'll always listen to that voice of truth and self-confidence and continue to follow his heart. I love Austin. He's always been there for me. He's an outstanding young man. 

Hunter: As a young dad, you sacrificed a lot. I know it wasn't easy, but you came through with flying colors. You're a man of principle, a man of action, and you've gotten it done. Thank you.

To my No. 3, Jordan, the best football player in the family. Been hit with so much adversity, pain, but you've been able to come through it with flying colors, my man. The future is bright. You're the light, right? There's another year left of football. You're going to do it. I love you, man. 

And finally, to my youngest, Noah. He was a preemie, born under a pound. He could fit right there in my hand, but he lives life like he's 8 feet tall. Got that great, vibrant spirit, that entrepreneurial spirit. I know whatever you put your mind and heart to, you're going to be successful. You keep doing you. You keep doing your thing.

For all of you, all of my family, I want you to understand that I'm here for you. We hold so many things that are going crazy in this world. But for my family, you know you have a center at 484 San Elijo Street. You're always welcome. You're always welcome with me and my wife, Lynn. 

So to wrap this up, and for the great Class of 2025: For you guys to be here, just an amazing opportunity for us to tell our story to you.

God bless you and thank you.