S Ricardo Allen Retires

Not long after his second career Super Bowl appearance, former Falcons and Bengals safety Ricardo Allen is retiring. In an Instagram post, he announced the decision to hang up his cleats. 

“I’ve always wondered how it would feel giving up what most people would consider to be ‘most of me’, and that’s being a professional athlete”, he wrote. “But, the truth is, I’m blessed to be able to say that it’s been good… Dear football career. I’m grateful for you, and I’m thankful for the opportunity you gave me to turn nothing but hard work into the foundation of a growing legacy. You’ve shown me it’s not about how you start; it’s about how you finish”.

Allen, 30, spent his first six seasons in Atlanta, having been drafted by the Falcons in the fifth round in 2014. He started 76 of 77 games with the team, including the loss in Super Bowl LI against the Patriots in 2016. That campaign saw him make a career-high 90 tackles, along with two interceptions. He racked up a total of 340 stops, 11 picks and 26 pass breakups in his time with the Falcons.

After being cut, Allen signed with the Bengals last March as part of the team’s attempt to add experience to its secondary. Serving as depth behind Jessie Bates, he made just one start in 14 regular season games in Cincinnati, and played only nine special teams snaps in the team’s Super Bowl loss to the Rams.

Allen seems to be interested in coaching now that his playing days are over. His post also includes, “I am ready to take all of this knowledge and to help guide the next generation of men to achieve their goals”, something that would happen “when you see [him] on the other side with the head set on”.

Rather than trying for a third appearance in the big game, Allen is content to move forward into the next chapter of his football career – something that he could be well suited for, given his effective time as a player.