Marcus Allen

Marcus LeMarr Allen (born March 26, 1960) is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons, primarily with the Los Angeles Raiders. Considered one of the greatest goal line and short-yard runners in NFL history, he was selected 10th overall by the Raiders in the 1982 NFL draft, following a successful college football career with the USC Trojans. He was a member of the Raiders for 11 seasons and spent his last five seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.

During his professional career, Allen ran for 12,243 yards and caught 587 passes for 5,412 yards. He also scored 145 touchdowns, including a then-league-record 123 rushing touchdowns, and was elected to six Pro Bowls. While with the Raiders, he helped the team win Super 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 the Heisman Trophy, named Unanimous All-American, won an AFCA National Championship Trophy, the Super Bowl, and be named NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP. He was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000, the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003, and the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2021.

Allen played football at Abraham Lincoln High School in San Diego, California, where he played the quarterback and safety positions. Watching Allen in the 1977 CIF Title game against Kearny 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. Allen won the Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Football, awarded to California's best high school football player, in 1977.

Allen played running back at the University of Southern California (USC) from 1978 to 1981, playing on the same team as fellow hall of famer Ronnie Lott for his first three seasons and hall of famer Anthony Munoz for his first two. He was recruited as a safety, but head coach John Robinson switched him to tailback. As a freshman in 1978, Allen was a member of the Trojans' National Championship team (as recognized by the coaches poll), playing as a backup to eventual Heisman Trophy winning running back Charles White.

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 (behind George Rogers of S. Carolina – 1,781 yards and Herschel 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 at Cal. He also gained a total of 2,559 offensive yards, led the nation in scoring, and won the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award, and Walter Camp Award. He was also the Pac-10 Player of the Year. Allen shares the NCAA record for most 200-yard rushing games with Ricky Williams and Ron 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. USC has retired his jersey No. 33.^{[citation needed]}

Allen was drafted as the 10th overall pick in the 1982 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Raiders. 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 the AFC at 8–1. He was voted the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. The Raiders lost to the New 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. During the 1985 season, he rushed for 1,759 yards and scored 11 touchdowns on 380 carries, leading the Raiders to a 12–4 record and the AFC West Division Championship. In addition, Allen was named the NFL MVP.