Next year, two legendary members of the Las Vegas Raiders are one step closer to earning a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The roster for the upcoming class is getting smaller, which suggests that two guys in particular might be going to Canton, Ohio. One possible “Modern Era” representation is former All-Pro cornerback Eric Allen, who is currently an analyst for the Silver and Black and a fan favorite in Raider Nation. Next up is Art Powell. In his rookie season with the Raiders in 1963, Powell was named an All-Pro in his own right. In addition, from 1963 to 1966, while he was a Pro Bowl player, No. 84 received four nominations in all.
Eric Allen: The Raiders’ Playmaker of the Nineties
For his part, Allen garnered the most of his honors in the early stages of his career. It wasn’t until the end of his playing career that he joined the Raiders. Still, that didn’t lessen the significance of his influence. Late in the 1990s and early in the new century, Allen was a major factor in Silver and Black’s comeback.
Allen actually started 56 games for the Raiders, which is quite a feat. Not only did he record three defensive touchdowns, but he also intercepted 15 passes from opposing quarterbacks in his four seasons with the Raiders. During that run, Allen—a genuine ballhawk and playmaker—accumulated an incredible 40 pass deflections in addition to two forced turnovers.
An Underappreciated Legend, Art Powell
Fans of the Raiders who are younger sometimes ignore players from earlier eras. Whatever the case, Art Powell enjoyed a stellar tenure with the Silver and Black as a receiver. Powell has 27 touchdowns and 2,665 receiving yards in his first two years (1963–1964), averaging 17 yards per reception (17.9). Another noteworthy fact about Powell is that he had four seasons with the Raiders during which he scored ten touchdowns (16, 11, 12, and 11 again).
Powell and Allen might soon be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame alongside players like Ray Guy, Charles Woodson, and Ken Stabler.
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