The injury bug was well-acquainted with Keenan Allen before this season. Allen suffered a season-ending kidney injury in Nov. 2015. During the Chargers’ season opener in 2016, Allen tore his ACL and missed the rest of the season.
Keenan Allen rebounded from 2 season-ending injuries to earn 2017 NFL Comeback Player of the Year
Allen, 25, re-established himself as one of the best receivers in the NFL.
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
But Allen burst back onto the scene in a big way in 2017. That’s why he is the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year, the league announced Saturday.
Allen re-established himself as Philip Rivers’ go-to option
Allen’s career started off promising. He led the Chargers with 1,046 yards receiving and was the runner-up for the AP’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award in 2013, losing out to Eddie Lacy. But after that hot start, injuries slowed him down.
He missed the final two games of the 2014 season with a broken collarbone, and missed eight games in 2015 and 15 games in 2016.
This season, Allen stayed healthy and finished with career highs in receptions (102) and yards (1,393). Those numbers put him in the top five in the NFL this season.
Rivers relied heavily on his now-healthy go-to target, especially in crucial situations. Allen led the league with 74 first-down receptions. And according to The Washington Post, Allen snagged a league-high 30 first-down receptions on third down.
Allen possesses a rare blend of size, speed, athleticism, and route-running prowess. At 6’2, he has the speed to run deep routes. But he can also run intermediate routes to move the chains on third downs. Just watch how No. 13 lines up in the slot, catches the ball, and turns upfield for a first down against the Buffalo Bills.
Allen only caught six touchdown passes this season, but he’s always a threat to score. He doesn’t have to run deep routes to score. Once Allen catches the ball and cuts upfield, he is almost impossible to tackle. The Dallas Cowboys witnessed that firsthand.
Allen, a 2013 third-round selection, received his first Pro Bowl nod this season. He’s only 25 years old and has a bright future ahead of him. If he can stay healthy, he’ll be a cornerstone of the Chargers’ offense for years to come.
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