| Kevin Allen | |
| Number: | 72, 73, 74 |
| Position: | Offensive tackle |
| Birth Date: | 21 June 1963 |
| Birth Place: | Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 5 |
| Weight Lb: | 285 |
| High School: | Northwest (Cincinnati, Ohio) |
| College: | Indiana |
| Draftyear: | 1985 |
| Draftround: | 1 |
| Draftpick: | 9 |
| Pastteams: | |
| Statlabel1: | Games played |
| Statvalue1: | 16 |
| Statlabel2: | Games started |
| Statvalue2: | 4 |
| Statlabel3: | Fumble recoveries |
| Statvalue3: | 1 |
| Pfr: | AlleKe21 |
Kevin Eugene Allen (born June 21, 1963) is an American former professional football player who was a tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for one season for the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football for the Indiana Hoosiers
Allen is an alumnus of Northwest High School in Cincinnati.
Allen was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles with the ninth overall pick in the first round of the 1985 NFL draft.[1] His career started against the New York Giants, a game where the Giants recorded eight sacks. By midseason, Allen was relegated to Special Teams. During the offseason, Allen moved to the center position. Eagles coach Buddy Ryan thought so little of Allen that he once described him as someone who could only be useful "if you want someone to stand around and kill the grass... he looks like a USFL reject."[2] In 2011, Deadspin ranked Allen the fourth-worst NFL player of all time, noting "The ninth overall pick out of Indiana had a special way of blocking opposing pass rushers. He would lean his body forward, then fall down." and "Never had the Eagles had a combination of bad person-bad player that could match this guy."[3] When Buddy Ryan was asked in an interviewed about him missing practice due to being treated at a local hospital for dehydration he said 'You mean the General?' when asked about Allen's whereabouts. 'You know we all call him the General, don't you? For General Hospital.[4]
After a poor rookie season, Allen tested positive for cocaine after reporting to Eagles training camp in 1986. The Eagles released him in October 1986. Days after being cut, Allen and his roommate, Scott Cartwright, were charged with rape. Allen was sentenced to 15 years in prison, serving 33 months in prison, while Cartwright was sentenced to seven years.[5] He was banned from the league for life soon afterward.
In the spring of 1991, Allen's ban was lifted. After failed tryouts with the Cincinnati Bengals and the San Francisco 49ers, the Kansas City Chiefs signed Allen in 1991, assigning him to the Orlando Thunder in the WLAF. He became the Thunder's starting right tackle for the 1992 season, recording at least 16 pancake blocks.[6]
Allen would later move on to the Arena Football League, playing for three teams.