From 1967-1980, the Oakland Raiders had built a football dynasty, compiling a 148-47-7 record, with 14 consecutive winning seasons, ten Division titles, three Conference Champions, and two Super Bowl victories. But in 1981, the city of Oakland experienced something they had not seen since Lyndon Johnson was President; a losing record! To flamboyant owner Al Davis, a former Raiders head coach himself, this was unacceptable. It was clear that change was in the air! Two significant events occurred during that 1981 offseason; the team would relocate to Los Angeles, and the Raiders would use their first round pick, the 10th selection overall, to draft local hero Marcus Allen
A tailback at the University of Southern California, Allen was the latest in a long line of USC tailbacks to capture the Heisman Trophy, following Mike Garrett, O.J. Simpson, and Charles White. But Allen was a different kind of runner. Sure, he had the moves and the speed, but he was also a great receiver out of the backfield. And, as NFL opponents quickly discovered, when his Raiders entered the red zone, he got ever better. In his rookie season, shortened to just nine games due to a work stoppage, Allen ran for 697 yards, a league-leading 11 touchdowns, and the led the Raiders to an 8-1 record and a Division title, earning Allen the AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and a Pro-Bowl appearance. His first full season in 1983 was even more spectacular, rushing for over 1,000 yards with 68 receptions, as the Raiders went 12-4 and captured the Super Bowl Championship. However, Allen's best season was 1985, his fourth in the NFL, when he led the league with 1,739 yards and was named the Most Valuable Player. Marcus Allen finished his 16-year career in 1997 with the Kansas City Chiefs, having run for over 12,000 yards, with 5,411 receiving yards, and an NFL record 123 rushing touchdowns.
Presented is a game-used jersey of Hall of Fame running back Marcus Allen from his 11-year tenure with the Raiders. This iconic jersey contains the appropriate Wilson exclusivity tag with "42" flag stitched onto the front left tail. All numbers and "ALLEN" nameplate are tackle twill stitched on the front, sleeves and back, while excellent game use is evident, with several team repairs to the left shoulder area. LOA from Mile High Card Co.