Will Allen (NFL Safety)
Will Allen (Born June 17, 1982, Dayton, Ohio) is an American football player who currently plays Safety for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL.
He was selected in the 4th round of the 2004 NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played in every game in his rookie year on special teams but saw increasing time as a safety in the final weeks of the season and made his first NFL interception against the Carolina Panthers and his first touchdown in week 6 of the following season against the Miami Dolphins. Allen was a highly-rated safety who played all four years for the Ohio State Buckeyes and was named a first-team All-American in his senior year. He also won a National Championship in his junior year with the Buckeyes.
He is best remembered in college for tackling Willis McGahee and delivering a forearm blow to his left knee. McGahee had to be helped off the field; he suffered ligament damage and was forced to miss the whole of his rookie year in the NFL.
His biggest contribution so far in his young NFL career was in a game against the Green Bay Packers in the 2005 season when he twice intercepted Packer quarterback Brett Favre in the fourth quarter. Buccaneers starting safety, Dexter Jackson, had been injured midway through the second quarter with a hamstring strain. Allen came into the game as a substitue. Later that season he made a huge hit on Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith. Smith rolled over onto his knees and then onto his back where he lay for a while.
It remains to be seen if he will replace Jackson permanently.