NFL Super Bowl: Marcus Allen stands alone in the history books
Hall of Fame running back Marcus Allen has done something that no other NFL player has done in their careers. Before becoming an NFL Hall of Famer, Marcus Allen ran wild in college for USC. Allen was a top recruit coming out of Abraham Lincoln high school in California.
He decided to stay in state and attend the University of Southern California (USC) to play football. Everyone around the game of football knew that Marcus Allen was going to be something special. Allen had the right skill set with a mixture of speed and power as a running back.
USC knew that they had gotten a great player on and off the football field. Allen knew he was special and was destined for greatness. What everyone didn't know, is that Marcus Allen had the ability to go on and do something that has never been done. The accomplishment that Marcus Allen achieved in both college and the NFL still holds today.
With that being said, lets take a look at what four accomplishments Marcus Allen achieved that makes him stand tall in the NFL history books.
1981 College Football Season: Marcus Allen won the Heisman Trophy
During the 1981 college football season, Marcus Allen became the fourth USC player to win the Heisman Trophy. Allen also achieved something that had never been done before. Marcus Allen rushed for over 2,000 rushing yards in a single season. Allen was the first college football running back to achieve that milestone in rushing.
Marcus Allen put on a tremendous performance during his senior year at USC. His rushing stats made him the top selection for the Heisman Trophy. Here are the rest of the stats that Marcus Allen recorded during his 1981 Heisman Trophy winning season.
Marcus Allen's 1981 College Football Season Stats:
-- Attempts: 433
-- Rushing yards: 2,427 yards
-- Rushing touchdowns: 22
In addition to his rushing stats Marcus Allen also recorded 34 receptions for 256 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown for USC in 1981.
1983-84 NFL Season: Marcus Allen won Super Bowl XVIII and the Super Bowl MVP
In Super Bowl XVIII, the Los Angeles Raiders running back Marcus Allen put on a show against the Washington Redskins. Allen's performance helped the Los Angeles Raiders steam roll the Redskins 38-9 to win the Super Bowl. The Raiders running back's performance also landed him the Super Bowl XVIII MVP award.
Marcus Allen proved to the nation that the Raiders made the right choice with selecting him tenth overall in the 1982 NFL Draft. In just his second season Marcus Allen had won a Super Bowl and the Super Bowl MVP award. Lets take a look at Allen's stats in Super Bowl XVIII that helped him win the Super Bowl MVP.
Marcus Allen's Super Bowl XVIII Stats:
-- Attempts: 20
-- Rushing yards: 191
-- Rushing touchdowns: 2
Allen came within nine yards of rushing for 200 yards against the Washington Redskins. His dominance on the ground was a key to the Raiders victory over Washington.
1985 NFL Season: Marcus Allen won the NFL MVP award
Marcus Allen was off to a fast start in his NFL career. He was four years into his career and had already accomplished a Super Bowl win, Super Bowl MVP, and now an NFL MVP award. Marcus Allen used his speed and power to run all over NFL defenses during the 1985-86 NFL season.
Los Angeles realized Allen's skill set and utilized it to their advantage. The Raiders knew that Allen could catch and run the football exceptionally well. Marcus Allen put together stats during the 1985-86 season that landed him the most valuable player in the NFL.
Marcus Allen's 1985-86 NFL Season stats:
-- Attempts: 380
-- Rushing yards: 1,759 yards
-- Rushing touchdowns: 11
-- Rushing yards per game: 109.9 yards
Marcus Allen also made an impact in the passing game for the Raiders. He racked up 67 receptions for 555 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.
Marcus Allen is the only NFL player to win a Heisman Trophy, NFL MVP, Super Bowl Championship, and Super Bowl MVP
Marcus Allen will go down as one of the best NFL running backs to ever play the game of football. His achievements in both college and professional football stand him at the top of a prestigious category. To this day Marcus Allen is the only NFL player to win a Heisman Trophy, NFL MVP award, Super Bowl Championship, and Super Bowl MVP. His induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003 capped off his great career in both college and the NFL.