Keenan Allen facts for kids
Allen with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||
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| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | April 27, 1992 Greensboro, North Carolina, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 211 lb (96 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Northern Guilford (Greensboro, North Carolina) |
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| College: | California (2010–2012) | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2013 / Round: 3 / Pick: 76 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 18, 2024 | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
Keenan Alexander Allen (born April 27, 1992) is an American professional football player. He is a talented wide receiver known for his amazing catches. Keenan played college football for the California Golden Bears. He was picked by the San Diego Chargers in the 2013 NFL Draft. He also played for the Chicago Bears.
Keenan Allen quickly became a star. He set new records for the Chargers as a rookie. In 2017, he won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award. He has been chosen for the Pro Bowl six times. He is one of only two players in Chargers history to gain over 10,000 receiving yards in his career.
Contents
Early Life and Sports
Keenan Allen grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina. He went to Grimsley Senior High School and then Northern Guilford High School. He was a fantastic athlete, playing football, basketball, and running track.
In football, Keenan was a standout player. He played both offense and defense. In 2009, he was named an All-American by USA Today and Parade. This means he was one of the best high school players in the country. He also played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
Many experts thought Keenan was one of the top defensive players in the nation. He first planned to play safety at the University of Alabama. But he changed his mind to play wide receiver at the University of California, Berkeley. He wanted to play with his half-brother, Zach Maynard.
Keenan was also great at track & field. He was a state champion in the long jump. He also ran sprints, like the 100-meter and 400-meter dashes.
College Football Career
Keenan Allen played wide receiver for the California Golden Bears football team from 2010 to 2012.
- In 2010, as a freshman, he caught 46 passes for 490 yards and five touchdowns.
- In 2011, his sophomore year, he had his best college season. He caught 98 passes for 1,343 yards. He also scored six touchdowns.
- In 2012, his junior year, he had 61 catches for 737 yards and six touchdowns.
Keenan decided to leave college after his junior year to play in the NFL. He set a school record with 205 career catches. He also ranks third in school history for receiving yards (2,570) and seventh for touchdowns (25).
College Statistics
| California Golden Bears | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | GP | Receiving | Rushing | |||||||||
| Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | |||||
| 2010 | 11 | 46 | 490 | 10.7 | 5 | 18 | 136 | 7.6 | 1 | |||
| 2011 | 13 | 98 | 1,343 | 13.7 | 6 | 9 | 55 | 6.1 | 0 | |||
| 2012 | 9 | 61 | 737 | 12.1 | 6 | 3 | 39 | 13.0 | 1 | |||
| Career | 33 | 205 | 2,570 | 12.5 | 17 | 30 | 230 | 7.7 | 2 | |||
Joining the NFL
Before the NFL Draft, players show off their skills at events like the NFL Scouting Combine. Keenan Allen had a knee injury (PCL sprain) in 2012. Because of this, he couldn't do all the drills at the Combine.
He did attend his own "pro day" on April 9, 2013. This is where players work out for scouts from NFL teams. Keenan showed his catching skills. However, his knee was still healing, so he wasn't at his best. This made some teams think twice about drafting him early.
San Diego / Los Angeles Chargers Years
2013: Rookie Season Success
The San Diego Chargers picked Keenan Allen in the third round of the 2013 NFL draft. He was the 76th player chosen overall. On May 9, 2013, he signed a four-year contract with the Chargers.
At first, Keenan didn't play much. He even thought about quitting football. But then, other players got hurt, and he got his chance. In October 2013, he had his first game with over 100 receiving yards. He caught six passes for 115 yards and a touchdown.
Keenan finished his rookie season leading all NFL rookies with 71 catches. He also led the Chargers with 1,046 receiving yards. This broke a Chargers rookie record. He scored eight touchdowns, which was tied for third all-time among rookies. He was named the Sporting News NFL Rookie of the Year. Many experts felt the Chargers got a great player in the third round. The Chargers made the playoffs that season. Keenan caught two touchdowns in a playoff game against the Denver Broncos.
2014: Continuing to Shine
In 2014, Keenan continued to be a key player. In one game, he caught 10 passes for 135 yards against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He scored two touchdowns and gained 121 yards against the Baltimore Ravens. He ended the season with 77 catches for 783 yards and four touchdowns. He missed the last two games due to a broken collarbone.
2015: Injury Setback
Keenan started the 2015 season strong. In the first game, he caught 15 passes for 166 yards. This tied a Chargers record for most catches in a single game. He scored two touchdowns in a game against the Minnesota Vikings. However, his season ended early in November. He suffered a kidney injury and missed the rest of the games. He finished with 67 catches for 725 yards and four touchdowns.
2016: Another Injury
On June 10, 2016, Keenan signed a new four-year contract with the Chargers. But his 2016 season was very short. In the first game, he tore a ligament in his knee (ACL). This injury meant he missed the entire season.
2017: Comeback Player of the Year
Keenan made an amazing return in 2017. He played in all 16 games, which was his first full season. He had many great games, including 12 catches for 159 yards and two touchdowns against the Buffalo Bills. On Thanksgiving Day, he had 172 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys.
He became the first player in NFL history to have three games in a row with at least 10 catches, 100 receiving yards, and one touchdown. He was chosen for his first Pro Bowl. Keenan finished the season with 102 catches for 1,393 yards and six touchdowns. His 102 catches set a new Chargers record for a single season. Because of his incredible return from injury, he was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
2018: More Pro Bowl Honors
Keenan continued his strong play in 2018. He started the season with eight catches for 108 yards and a touchdown. He had a streak of five games where he scored a touchdown. In one game, he caught 14 passes for 148 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He finished the season with 97 catches for 1,196 yards and six touchdowns. He earned his second Pro Bowl nomination.
2019: Setting New Records
In 2019, Keenan set a new Chargers franchise record with 104 catches. He also gained 1,199 yards and scored six touchdowns. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl for the third year in a row.
2020: Another Strong Season
On September 5, 2020, Keenan signed another contract extension with the Chargers. He had several games with over 100 receiving yards. In Week 11, he caught 16 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown against the New York Jets. He earned his fourth straight Pro Bowl nomination.
2021: Fifth Pro Bowl
In 2021, Keenan continued to be a top receiver. He finished the season with 106 catches for 1,128 yards and six touchdowns. He had four games where he gained over 100 receiving yards. He was selected for the Pro Bowl for the fifth year in a row.
2022: Battling Injuries
During the 2022 season, Keenan caught 66 passes for 752 yards and four touchdowns. He had two games where he gained over 100 yards.
2023: Reaching Milestones
In 2023, Keenan had an amazing game against the Minnesota Vikings. He caught 18 passes for 215 yards. He also threw a 49-yard touchdown pass! He became the only player in NFL history to have three games with at least 15 catches. He also became the first player ever to have 15 catches and throw a touchdown pass in the same game. In Week 9, he reached 10,000 career receiving yards. He finished the season with 108 catches for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns in 13 games. He earned his sixth Pro Bowl nomination.
Chicago Bears
On March 14, 2024, Keenan Allen was traded to the Chicago Bears. He joined a new team for the first time in his NFL career. In Week 6, he scored two receiving touchdowns against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He had another two-touchdown game in Week 13 against the Detroit Lions. He finished the 2024 season with 70 catches for 744 yards and seven touchdowns.
NFL Career Statistics
Regular Season
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2013 | SD | 15 | 14 | 71 | 1,046 | 14.7 | 43T | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 |
| 2014 | SD | 14 | 14 | 72 | 783 | 10.2 | 35 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 |
| 2015 | SD | 8 | 8 | 67 | 725 | 10.9 | 38 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| 2016 | SD | 1 | 1 | 6 | 63 | 10.5 | 15 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | LAC | 16 | 15 | 102 | 1,393 | 13.7 | 51 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2018 | LAC | 16 | 14 | 97 | 1,196 | 12.3 | 54 | 6 | 9 | 75 | 8.3 | 28 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 2019 | LAC | 16 | 16 | 104 | 1,199 | 11.5 | 34 | 6 | 3 | 16 | 5.3 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | LAC | 14 | 13 | 100 | 992 | 9.9 | 28 | 8 | 1 | −1 | −1.0 | −1 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 2021 | LAC | 16 | 16 | 106 | 1,138 | 10.7 | 42 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 | LAC | 10 | 10 | 66 | 752 | 11.4 | 46 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023 | LAC | 13 | 13 | 108 | 1,243 | 11.5 | 42 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 3.0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 2024 | CHI | 15 | 15 | 70 | 744 | 10.6 | 45 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Career | 154 | 149 | 974 | 11,274 | 11.6 | 54 | 66 | 18 | 113 | 6.3 | 28 | 0 | 17 | 10 | |
Postseason
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2013 | SD | 2 | 2 | 8 | 163 | 20.4 | 49 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | LAC | 2 | 1 | 6 | 112 | 18.7 | 43 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | LAC | 1 | 1 | 6 | 61 | 10.2 | 23 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 5 | 4 | 20 | 336 | 16.8 | 49 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Other Appearances
In 2023, Keenan Allen was on the TV show The Masked Singer. He performed as "Gargoyle." He made it far in the competition before being eliminated.
Personal Life
Keenan Allen is married and has four children.
His older half-brother, Zach Maynard, was also a football player at Cal. Keenan and Zach once made the longest pass play in their school's history. Keenan's cousin, Maurice Harris, also played in the NFL as a wide receiver. They were teammates in high school and college.
Keenan is also childhood friends with former NFL player David Amerson.
