Marcus Allen
FromthefirstdayIplayedIknewIwasbetterthantheotherguys.Asakid,yousenseyoucanrunfasterorcatchalittlebetter.Youcansenseit,butyoudon’tthinkaboutit.Yourecognizesomethingsarecomingeasiertoyou.Iusedtoaskmyself'Why?’NowIjustacceptit.I’vebeenblessed,butmyfatheralwaystoldmenottoforgetthattherewassomeoneouttherebetter.SoIworkedreallyhard.Ididn’ttakeitforgranted.
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 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.
