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Washington Football Team: Flashback to Terry Allen’s magical 1996 season

By Russell Shavatt

LANDOVER, MD - NOVEMBER 24: Fans sit in the stands during the first half of a game between the Detroit Lions and Washington Redskins at FedExField on November 24, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - NOVEMBER 24: Fans sit in the stands during the first half of a game between the Detroit Lions and Washington Redskins at FedExField on November 24, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /
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The Washington Football Team hasn’t always been home to league standouts, but Terry Allen challenged the norm during the 1996 NFL season.

Yes, Washington Football Team fans, we are at a frustratingly slow part of the offseason. The time between the final minicamp and the start of training camp always seems to take forever.

While that time does take forever, it is also a prime opportunity to recognize those players in Washington history who made us true fans of the team we love to watch and cover.

There are obviously so many players who donned the burgundy and gold that fit the criteria above. However, in this article we will discuss former Washington running back Terry Allen.

Originally selected by the Minnesota Vikings in 1990 out of Clemson University, Terry Thomas Allen Jr. made his way to Washington via free agency in 1995. The former ninth-round pick played well for Minnesota, but knee injuries led to them moving on from him.

Minnesota’s loss was Washington’s gain. Allen’s time with the Washington Football Team lasted from 1995 to 1998 — a brief stint with the club, but a stint that was both memorable and uber-productive. Four glorious years that were capped off by the electric 1996 season.

An individual season, under then-head coach Norv Turner,  in which the former Clemson legend tallied 1,353 yards on the ground, to go along with a remarkable 21 touchdowns — numbers good enough for Allen to earn multiple league honors, in addition to seeing his name highly ranked amongst the best of the best on the league leaderboards.

How good of a season did Allen have? He finished either first in the league, or within the top seven, in overall rushing yards, rushing TDs, rushing yards per game, overall touches, points scored, total touchdowns, and rushing attempts.

Honors for Allen in the 1996 season included NFC Offensive Player of the Month (October), second-team All-Pro, and a trip to Hawai’i for the Pro Bowl.

The smooth, yet bruising back is still seen today in the WFT record books largely because of that magical season. That’s not too bad for the 5-foot-10, 210-pound Commerce, Georgia native, after being sent packing by the team that drafted him because of injury concerns.

If you are reading this and don’t remember Terry Allen, this writer recommends for you to go to your favorite video-sharing website to check out some highlights. It will bring you back to that time in franchise history, or even to a memorable time watching the game with dad, as Father’s Day is almost here.

Next. Washington Football: Flexibility in the secondary. dark

As always, thank you for reading this article. Please continue to stick with us here at Riggo’s Rag for constant coverage on all things Washington Football Team. We might even take another dive down memory lane like we have here today.

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