photo by steed media service

Running Back, New Orleans Saints

In August of 2005, Deuce McAllister was preparing for what should have been the best season of his pro career. After completing two back-to-back seasons where he gained over 1,000 yards rushing and made the Pro Bowl, McAllister and the New Orleans Saints were flirting with becoming a perennial powerhouse of the NFL. However, days after the Hurricane Katrina calamity, the New Orleans Superdome was partially destroyed and the Saints were left without a home field. McAllister eventually suffered a season-ending knee injury in what became the worst year ever for the New Orleans Saints franchise. "In 2005, it was us against the world," McAllister says of the tumultuous season. "We didn't have a home game, there were a lot of distractions and the entire year was very stressful. But we picked up the pieces and moved on." McAllister and the Saints surprised the entire NFL in 2006 by winning 13 games and reaching the NFC Championship. McAllister also returned to his All-Pro form by rushing for 1,057 yards and 10 touchdowns. But while McAllister was one of the top rushers in the NFL in 2006, he was forced to share the backfield with rookie running back Reggie Bush. "A lot of people want to make it out to be a war between me and Reggie [Bush]," he says. "But we were one game away from making the Super Bowl. So winning a championship is my focus. Reggie is a young kid who is willing to learn the game and I'm willing to teach." - terry shropshire



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