After a 19-year wait, the call finally came. Eric Allen, the Point Loma High School alum who anchored NFL defenses for 14 seasons with the Eagles, Raiders, and Saints, has been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2025 class.
Allen credited mentors like the late Hall of Famer Reggie White for shaping his career. Speaking to reporters, he reflected:
"All of those Eagles who helped me...amazing group. Reggie White and his wife Sara took me under their wing when I got [to Philadelphia]. They taught me how to be a pro. I wish I could share this with him, Andre [Waters], Todd [Bell], and Jerome [Brown]."
"They were family. This honor is theirs, too."
Born and raised in Southeast San Diego, Allen shined as a dual-threat star at Point Loma High under head coach Bennie Edens. He rushed for 909 yards as a senior, among other accolades, and earned a scholarship to Arizona State.
The Philadelphia Eagles selected Allen in the second round of the 1988 NFL draft. Despite six Pro Bowl selections and 54 career interceptions (21st all-time), Hall of Fame voters repeatedly passed him over. Critics argued his statistics were overshadowed by contemporaries like Deion Sanders and Rod Woodson, but former Raiders teammate Charles Woodson saw it differently.
"Eric was a technician," Woodson said. "He didn't just make plays—he studied offenses. That's why he thrived into his 30s when most corners fade."
Allen's 2000 season with the Raiders silenced doubters. At 35, he recorded three interception returns for touchdowns and helped the team capture back-to-back AFC West titles.
