Keenan Allen facts for kids
Allen with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021
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| No. 13 – Chicago Bears | |||||||
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||
| 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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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||
| 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 wide receiver for the Chicago Bears in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the California Golden Bears. The San Diego Chargers picked him in the third round of the 2013 NFL draft.
Allen quickly became a star. He set new records for rookies with the Chargers in catches and receiving yards. In 2017, he was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year. During his 11 seasons with the Chargers, Allen was chosen for the Pro Bowl six times. He is one of only two players in the team's history to gain over 10,000 career receiving yards.
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Early Life and High School Sports
Keenan Allen has a Native American background. He is a member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.
Allen grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina. He went to Grimsley Senior High School and then Northern Guilford High School. He was a talented athlete, playing football, basketball, and running track. In football, he was amazing on both offense and defense. In 2009, he was named a high school All-American by USA Today and Parade. He also played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
Many experts thought Allen was one of the best young players in the country. He first planned to play safety at the University of Alabama. But he changed his mind and decided to play wide receiver at the University of California, Berkeley. This allowed him to play with his half-brother, Zach Maynard.
In track & field, Allen was a strong long jumper. He could jump over 7 meters! He also ran sprints. He ran the 400-meter dash in 51.60 seconds. His best time in the 100-meter dash was 11.2 seconds. He was also very fast, running the 40-yard dash in 4.56 seconds.
College Football Career
Allen played wide receiver for the California Golden Bears football team. He was a starter from 2010 to 2012. As a freshman in 2010, he caught 46 passes for 490 yards and scored five touchdowns. In 2011, his sophomore year, Allen had his best season. He made 98 catches for 1,343 yards. As a junior in 2012, he had 61 catches for 737 yards and six touchdowns.
Allen left college after his junior year. He set a school record with 205 career catches. He also gained 2,570 receiving yards, which is third in school history. He scored 25 touchdowns, ranking seventh all-time for the Golden Bears.
Professional Football Journey
Joining the NFL
Before the NFL draft, Allen had a knee injury. This meant he couldn't show off his skills at the NFL Scouting Combine. Experts thought he would be picked in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft. However, because of his injury, his draft position dropped. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.71 seconds, but he said he was only 80% healthy.
San Diego / Los Angeles Chargers Years
2013: Rookie Sensation
The San Diego Chargers chose Allen in the third round of the 2013 NFL draft. He was the 76th player picked overall. On May 9, 2013, Allen signed a four-year contract with the Chargers.
At first, Allen didn't play much. He even thought about quitting football. But then, other players got injured, 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. The next week, he had nine catches for 107 yards and another touchdown.
Allen broke Chargers rookie records for catches and receiving yards. He finished his first season with 71 catches and 1,046 receiving yards. He also scored eight touchdowns. He was named the Sporting News NFL Rookie of the Year. Many people thought the Chargers got a great deal by drafting him in the third round. The Chargers made the playoffs that season. Allen caught two touchdowns in a playoff game against the Denver Broncos. He became only the second rookie in NFL history to have over 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns in a playoff game.
2014 Season
In 2014, Allen continued to play well. He had 10 catches for 135 yards in a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He also scored two touchdowns and had 121 receiving yards against the Baltimore Ravens. He missed the last two games of the season due to a broken collarbone. He ended the season with 77 catches for 783 yards and four touchdowns.
2015 Season
Allen started the 2015 season strong. He had 15 catches for 166 yards in the first game, tying a team record. He scored two touchdowns and had 12 catches for 133 yards against the Minnesota Vikings. Unfortunately, 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 Season: Injury Setback
On June 10, 2016, Allen signed a new four-year contract with the Chargers. But in the very first game of the 2016 season, he got hurt. He tore a ligament in his knee (anterior cruciate ligament or ACL). This serious injury meant he missed the entire season.
2017: Amazing Comeback
Allen made an incredible return in 2017. In Week 11, he had 12 catches for 159 yards and two touchdowns. On Thanksgiving Day, he had 172 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys. He made NFL history by having three games in a row with at least 10 catches, 100 receiving yards, and one touchdown.
Allen was chosen for his first Pro Bowl. He finished the season with 102 catches for 1,393 yards and six touchdowns. His 102 catches were a new Chargers record for a single season. He was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year for his amazing return from injury.
2018 Season
Allen started 2018 with eight catches for 108 yards and a touchdown. He had a streak of five games where he scored a touchdown. His best game was 14 catches for 148 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He ended the season with 97 catches for 1,196 yards and six touchdowns. He earned his second Pro Bowl nomination.
2019 Season
In the first game of 2019, Allen caught eight passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. Two weeks later, he had 13 catches for 183 yards and two touchdowns. He set a new Chargers record with 104 catches in a season. He also had 1,199 yards and six touchdowns. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl for the third year in a row.
2020 Season
On September 5, 2020, Allen signed another four-year contract with the Chargers. He had several big games, including 13 catches for 132 yards and a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers. He also had 16 catches for 145 yards and a touchdown against the New York Jets. He was placed on the COVID-19 list briefly but returned. He earned his fourth straight Pro Bowl nomination.
2021 Season
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In 2021, Allen 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 time in a row.
2022 Season
During the 2022 season, Allen caught 66 passes for 752 yards. He also scored four touchdowns. He had two games where he gained more than 100 receiving yards.
2023 Season
In Week 2 of 2023, Allen had eight catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns. In Week 3, he had an amazing game with 18 catches for 215 receiving yards. He even threw a 49-yard touchdown pass! He became the only NFL player to have three games with at least 15 catches. He also became the first player to have 15 catches and throw a touchdown 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, Allen was traded to the Chicago Bears. He quickly made an impact with his new team. 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. In Week 16, he had nine catches for 141 yards and a touchdown. He finished the 2024 season with 70 catches for 744 yards and six touchdowns.
Television Appearances
In 2023, Keenan Allen appeared on the TV show The Masked Singer. He performed as the character "Gargoyle."
Personal Life
Keenan Allen is married and has four children.
He is the younger half-brother of quarterback Zach Maynard. They played together at Cal. They made the longest pass play in their school's history, a 90-yard touchdown. Allen's cousin, Maurice Harris, also played wide receiver in the NFL. They were teammates in high school and college. Allen is also childhood friends with former cornerback David Amerson.
Images for kids
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Allen playing for California in September 2010
