Eric Allen, who played with the Sun Devils from 1984 to 1987, was named one of the 15 modern-era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Eric Allen is already a member of the @Eagles 75th anniversary team.
Now he is also a Finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2024. pic.twitter.com/YSOKhcOc95
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) December 28, 2023
Allen had 15 interceptions in his Arizona State career and is easily one of ASU’s best corners to play. If Allen were to get selected, he would be the sixth Sun Devil to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Career
Eric Allen was drafted in the second round in the 1988 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Allen would cement himself as an Eagle great by staying in the City of Brotherly Love for seven seasons. Allen would intercept 31 passes during those seven seasons, including an eight-interception season in 1989. That year, he was named a First Team All-Pro. In 1993, Allen had four pick-sixes in six interceptions and had three forced fumbles.
Allen would make the Pro Bowl five times in Philadelphia and be named Second-Team All-Pro twice.
He left Philadelphia for New Orleans in 1995, where he would make his final Pro Bowl that year. He recorded five interceptions in three years for the Saints while averaging about 58 tackles a season.
Oakland and New Orleans
After three years, Allen would head to Oakland for the final stretch of his career. He would suffer the first injury of his career in 1998 when he blew out his knee and only played in 10 games. He still had five interceptions that season. Allen played okay in 99, but 2000 was a special one. He recorded a career-high 62 tackles, had six INTs, which was his most since 93 and had three pick-sixes.
Allen would not record an interception in 2001 and would retire after that. Allen would finish his career with 54 interceptions, eight pick-sixes, and five forced fumbles while playing 216 of 224 possible games. He is in the top 25 in interceptions in NFL history and had his record of most pick-sixes in a season passed this year by Cowboys corner DaRon Bland. However, he is the only player in NFL history with two seasons of 3+ pick-sixes.
Eric Allen is among the NFL’s best, but with this stacked class of finalists, it will be very hard for him to make it this year.
Do you think Allen deserves to be in Canton?
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