Deuce McAllister facts for kids
McAllister in 2005
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
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| Born: | December 27, 1978 Lena, Mississippi, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 232 lb (105 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Morton (Morton, Mississippi) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Ole Miss (1997–2000) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2001 / Round: 1 / Pick: 23 | ||||||||||||
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Deuce McAllister (born December 27, 1978) is a former American football player. He was a talented running back for the New Orleans Saints in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. Deuce played college football for the Ole Miss Rebels. The Saints picked him in the first round of the 2001 NFL draft. During his career, McAllister was chosen for two Pro Bowl games.
Today, McAllister works as a color commentator for the Saints' radio broadcasts on WWL (AM). He also commentates for college football games on SEC Network. He helps out as an athletic consultant for St. Martin's Episcopal School.
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College Football Career
Deuce McAllister played college football for the University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss. He had an amazing career there, setting many records. McAllister is the only player in Ole Miss history to gain at least 1,000 all-purpose yards in three different seasons. All-purpose yards include rushing, receiving, and return yards. He finished his college career with the most carries in Ole Miss history.
Professional Football Career
Playing for the New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints chose Deuce McAllister as the 23rd player overall in the 2001 NFL draft. He became the main running back for the team after another player, Ricky Williams, was traded. Deuce then rushed for over 1,000 yards in three seasons in a row. This was a first for the Saints team!
By 2005, he was the Saints' all-time leader with 5,586 rushing yards and 44 touchdowns. He also had 22 games where he rushed for over 100 yards. This included a team record of nine straight 100-yard games in 2003. When McAllister rushed for 100 yards in a game, the Saints won 14 out of 22 times. He also caught 212 passes for 1,577 yards and four touchdowns.
On December 9, 2001, McAllister even threw a touchdown pass against the Atlanta Falcons. In 2003, he was second in rushing yards in the NFC (National Football Conference) and fourth in the entire league. He gained a career-high 1,641 yards that season. This was the second-highest in Saints history. When you add his 516 receiving yards, McAllister had 2,157 total yards that season. This set a new club record. In 2002, his first year as a starter, he led the conference with 1,388 rushing yards and scored 16 touchdowns. He was also voted to the Pro Bowl.
Overcoming Injuries
On October 10, 2005, Deuce McAllister suffered a serious knee injury. He tore a ligament in his right knee. This meant he couldn't play for the rest of the 2005 season. He returned to play in the 2006 season. Even though he was still the starter, he began sharing playing time with Reggie Bush, another talented running back.
In his first-ever playoff start on January 16, 2007, McAllister had a fantastic game. He rushed for 143 yards and scored one touchdown. He also caught 4 passes for 20 yards and another touchdown. The Saints beat Philadelphia 27–24. This win sent them to their first-ever NFC Championship Game in the team's 40-year history.
Unfortunately, on September 24, 2007, McAllister tore a ligament in his left knee during a game against the Tennessee Titans. This injury caused him to miss the rest of the 2007 season. He came back to play on September 14, 2008, against the Washington Redskins. McAllister scored his first rushing touchdown in a regular season game since December 2006 on September 28, 2008. This was during a game against the San Francisco 49ers.
McAllister set the all-time rushing touchdown record for the New Orleans Saints on November 24, 2008. This happened during a game against the Green Bay Packers.
Retirement and Super Bowl Win
The Saints released McAllister on February 17, 2009. He did not play during the 2009 regular season. However, the Saints re-signed him on January 15, 2010. This was just one day before their playoff game against the Arizona Cardinals. He was brought back to be an honorary captain. Saints head coach Sean Payton said that Deuce McAllister always showed the spirit of the Saints and the city of New Orleans.
Less than a week later, McAllister announced he planned to officially retire from the NFL after the playoffs. Even though he didn't play in the game, McAllister was on the Saints' roster when they won Super Bowl XLIV against the Colts. He also received a championship ring!
NFL Career Statistics
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2001 | NO | 16 | 4 | 16 | 91 | 5.7 | 54T | 1 | 15 | 166 | 11.1 | 22T | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2002 | NO | 15 | 15 | 325 | 1,388 | 4.3 | 62 | 13 | 47 | 352 | 7.5 | 30 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| 2003 | NO | 16 | 16 | 351 | 1,641 | 4.7 | 76T | 8 | 69 | 516 | 7.5 | 39 | 0 | 6 | 4 |
| 2004 | NO | 14 | 14 | 269 | 1,074 | 4.0 | 71 | 9 | 34 | 228 | 6.7 | 20 | 0 | 5 | 4 |
| 2005 | NO | 5 | 5 | 93 | 335 | 3.6 | 26 | 3 | 17 | 117 | 6.9 | 22 | 0 | — | — |
| 2006 | NO | 15 | 13 | 244 | 1,057 | 4.3 | 57 | 10 | 30 | 198 | 6.6 | 24 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 2007 | NO | 3 | 3 | 24 | 92 | 3.8 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 3.8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2008 | NO | 13 | 6 | 107 | 418 | 3.9 | 19 | 5 | 18 | 128 | 7.1 | 20 | 1 | — | — |
| Career | 97 | 76 | 1,429 | 6,096 | 4.3 | 76 | 49 | 234 | 1,720 | 7.4 | 39 | 5 | 20 | 13 | |
Life After Football
Deuce McAllister runs the Catch 22 Foundation. This foundation helps young people who are not as lucky in the Gulf South Region.
In March 2017, St. Martin's Episcopal School announced that McAllister joined their athletic department. He works there as an athletic consultant.
As of 2010, McAllister lived in Metairie, Louisiana.
On July 19, 2018, New Orleans' Fox TV station WVUE-TV announced that McAllister would join them. He became a Saints analyst for the station, in addition to his radio duties.
He also owns and runs the Ole Saint restaurant and sports bar chain. There are locations in the French Quarter of New Orleans and in Boomtown Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi.
In 2020, McAllister was honored by being inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa at the University of Holy Cross.
