1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,559 Speaker 1: Before we get started, please rate and review our show 2 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 1: that helps people find us. On this episode of Sports 3 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: Illustrated Weekly. With NFL preseason upon us and roster cuts looming, 4 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 1: a lot of players out there are hoping to prove 5 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:19,320 Speaker 1: themselves right now and stick with their team, including an 6 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 1: undrafted rookie with the Philadelphia Eagles. Before going to camp 7 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:26,239 Speaker 1: in Philly, that had been six years since Stephen Allen 8 00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:28,920 Speaker 1: played football. He's best known for what he's done on 9 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: the track, where he's a world class hurdler who also 10 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:36,600 Speaker 1: recently suffered an unfortunate and controversial outcome at the World 11 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 1: Championships in Oregon. Our producer Jessica Armoski has the story 12 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:43,480 Speaker 1: of Alan trying to turn himself into a two sports star. 13 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 1: I'm your host, John Gonzalez from Sports Illustrated and I 14 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. This is Sports Illustrated Weekly. Alright, Just so, 15 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 1: training camps are happening, one of them near and dear 16 00:00:57,760 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: to my heart. The Philadelphia Eagles are at camp and 17 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 1: they have a player there who I find very interesting, 18 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:06,640 Speaker 1: Devin Allen. He's in camp with the Eagles. How's it 19 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 1: going for him so far? Considering he's playing football at 20 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: a high level. For the first time since. I think 21 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:17,320 Speaker 1: it's going pretty well if you asked him, maybe not 22 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:22,039 Speaker 1: as well as he would have hoped. I spoke to 23 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:25,640 Speaker 1: Reuben Frank from NBC Sports Philadelphia. He was talking to 24 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 1: Devon pretty early on in training camp, and Devin Allen said, yeah, 25 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 1: it's intense, all right. I think it's just learning how 26 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 1: to practice again. Um, learning how to play again. I think, 27 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:38,400 Speaker 1: you know, the nuances are most of him in college, 28 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 1: and then it's been so long since I've played, right, 29 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 1: I just gotta remember, you know that the intensity and 30 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:44,760 Speaker 1: the tempo that all the coaches want and practice and 31 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:47,040 Speaker 1: then how to practice and you know, get a good 32 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 1: rep even if we're just in outlets or we're just 33 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 1: in shells and stuff like that as well. Um, and 34 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:52,880 Speaker 1: then also getting all the walk through reps I can. 35 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 1: I think the most frustrating thing for Devon Allen at 36 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:58,559 Speaker 1: this point is he's leaving a sport for now where 37 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 1: he is incredibly six tessful, really highly decorated, just known 38 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: as you know, one of the best at what he does, 39 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:07,560 Speaker 1: and then he gets through training camp and he's pretty 40 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 1: much like ninth in the pecking order. He hasn't been 41 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:13,960 Speaker 1: getting a lot of opportunities to show off his skills 42 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 1: at camp. Here's what Ruben had to say. So, not 43 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 1: only is he competing against wide receivers who've been doing 44 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 1: this all their lives without a six year break, he's 45 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 1: playing against cornerbacks who are some of the best in 46 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 1: the world and know every trick in the book. And 47 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 1: pure speed doesn't get you open in the NFL, and 48 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 1: I think that he is just kind of struggling to 49 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 1: stand out um, which must be frustrating, especially because he, 50 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 1: you know, really is coming off a sport where he 51 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 1: is so well known. So it's wild to me that 52 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 1: he hasn't played football in six years. He's undrafted. He 53 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 1: shows up to the Oregon Pro Day, the Eagles take 54 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 1: a liking to him aside. Is it just the speed? 55 00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:58,520 Speaker 1: What did they see that they wanted to bring him 56 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 1: into camp? Yeah, so we know that he's fast, obviously, 57 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:06,239 Speaker 1: and you know, the Eagles general manager Howie Roseman, he's 58 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:09,359 Speaker 1: kind of thinking outside the box always when he's looking 59 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 1: for people to sign. Reuben Frank reminded us of Jordan Malatta, 60 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 1: the rugby player that Howie Roseman signed, you know, back 61 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 1: in two thousand six. He signed an Olympic skier still 62 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 1: the only Olympic skier to ever be signed by the 63 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:27,360 Speaker 1: NFL Jeremy Bloom. So you can imagine that Roseman was 64 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:30,080 Speaker 1: looking at Alan kind of through that lens as someone 65 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 1: who maybe isn't necessarily a shoe in, but could bring 66 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 1: a lot to the team. They did look at film, 67 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 1: Ruben told me, and you know, it was old film. 68 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:40,840 Speaker 1: It was from like two thousand fourteen, two thousand sixteen, 69 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 1: which I kind of thought was funny, and they were impressed. 70 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 1: You know, you think of a track guy playing football, 71 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 1: You think of like a fragile, you know, a finesse 72 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:52,920 Speaker 1: type player with great speed. But they saw a guy 73 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 1: who didn't back down physically from from defensive backs and 74 00:03:57,360 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 1: and had to write mentality, he didn't look like a 75 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 1: track star playing football. It looked like a football player, 76 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 1: and I think that's what appealed to them, all right, 77 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 1: So they go from a skier to a rugby player, 78 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 1: and now they've got Devin Allen, who, as we know, 79 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 1: is excellent on the track. He's a three time national 80 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 1: champion in the one ten hurdles. The timing here really 81 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:16,240 Speaker 1: works out for Allen, right, because he signs in April. 82 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:18,600 Speaker 1: He's got the U S Championships in June, He's got 83 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 1: the World Championships in July, and now he's in camp 84 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:23,600 Speaker 1: with the Eagles in August. He's got a lot going 85 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 1: on for Devin Allen. The timing is everything and it 86 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:31,680 Speaker 1: has worked so well in his favor. He went to 87 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 1: the US Champs in June, he took third place. The 88 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 1: top three went to Worlds. It actually came out after 89 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:41,359 Speaker 1: the race that his dad had passed away the weekend 90 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: of the meet. So he's basically running with this huge 91 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:48,920 Speaker 1: life thing happening and really hard to tell in the race. 92 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:52,560 Speaker 1: He still, you know, got third, he qualifies for Worlds, 93 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:54,840 Speaker 1: and Yeah, he seemed to be just on the up 94 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: and up. With the World Champs in July and Eugene, 95 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:02,719 Speaker 1: his home stadium, he looked good to contend for a medal. 96 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 1: I think a lot of fans were expecting him to 97 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:07,800 Speaker 1: come out and get on the podium. And then, you know, 98 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:11,159 Speaker 1: his plan was transitioned back to football for the time being. 99 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 1: See what he could do when he dipped his toes 100 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:15,839 Speaker 1: into the NFL. He was really set up for a 101 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:20,479 Speaker 1: successful transition. Yeah, I was excited for him at the 102 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: World Championships. As you mentioned, it's his home track in Eugene, Oregon, 103 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:26,600 Speaker 1: first time the World Championships had been held in the 104 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:29,880 Speaker 1: United States, and so everybody, I think, kind of expected 105 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 1: him to end up on the podium. But man, it 106 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:35,160 Speaker 1: did not go well for him. Tell everybody what happened 107 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:39,800 Speaker 1: to Devon Allen at the World Championships in Oregon. It 108 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:42,040 Speaker 1: did not go well for him. That's I mean, exactly 109 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 1: as you said. He got through the heats and the semis. 110 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:47,479 Speaker 1: There was a sense that he didn't quite look like 111 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 1: himself in those early rounds, but the finals all that matters. 112 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 1: He gets the line in the final, and I wouldn't 113 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 1: say that he was a heavy favorite for gold necessarily, 114 00:05:56,880 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 1: but you know, this guy really delivers when it matters, 115 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:02,560 Speaker 1: is um and I think a podium finish was in 116 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 1: sight for him. The gun goes up, say the gun 117 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:15,679 Speaker 1: goes off again, calling the runners back to the line. 118 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:21,480 Speaker 1: A callback gun is jarring obviously for athletes, jarring for fans, 119 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:23,920 Speaker 1: for people watching in the stadium, for the watching on TV. 120 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:27,039 Speaker 1: It's just it's kind of this like eerie feeling. You 121 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:29,920 Speaker 1: know that something bad is coming. You're scanning the line 122 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:33,000 Speaker 1: for who it could have been. It's late three I 123 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 1: think now. I've seen a lot of false starts, and 124 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:41,240 Speaker 1: usually if they're pretty late, you can see them with 125 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 1: the naked eye. Then if you can't see it in 126 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:45,560 Speaker 1: real time, you go back and you look at the 127 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:50,520 Speaker 1: slow mo. This false start was absolutely imperceptible. Even in 128 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 1: slow motion. What we saw was that the gun went 129 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 1: off and he got out of the blocks. It was 130 00:06:57,320 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 1: incredibly hard to understand end what had just happened, even 131 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 1: when he watched the footage and come to find out 132 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:08,240 Speaker 1: why is that pete fall started by a second he 133 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 1: appeared to be trying to talk to the official at 134 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:14,600 Speaker 1: the track, uh be trying to reason with him. The 135 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:18,880 Speaker 1: start went to replay, and there was this thought, Okay, 136 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:22,040 Speaker 1: maybe he'll run anyway, he'll file a protest later. But 137 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 1: after a few minutes and the crowd did not like this, 138 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:28,240 Speaker 1: he walked off the track. His world championships were over. 139 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:32,840 Speaker 1: Everyone was doing it was a really really intense moment. Yeah, 140 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: that's such a bummer. I mean like I was. I 141 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 1: was bummed out for him. A second chest sounds impossible. 142 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:42,240 Speaker 1: It sounds like this couldn't possibly be something that they 143 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:45,080 Speaker 1: could measure but apparently they did. That had to be 144 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:50,880 Speaker 1: immensely frustrating for him. No, so frustrating. And it's even 145 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:53,360 Speaker 1: more frustrating when you kind of dig into this rule 146 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 1: and if it seems arbitrary, that's because it is, I 147 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 1: think we can say. So. The idea is you want 148 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:03,040 Speaker 1: to have a fast time between when you hear the 149 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:05,440 Speaker 1: gun and when you actually push out of the blocks, 150 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 1: but not too fast because if it's too fast, then 151 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 1: there's a chance that you ignored the gun and just 152 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 1: went early, and that could impact obviously your race unfairly. 153 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 1: So I was like, this rule makes no sense. Where 154 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:20,960 Speaker 1: did it come from? Why does it exist? And I 155 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:23,680 Speaker 1: ended up speaking to Steve Magnus, who's an expert on 156 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 1: health and human performance. He's coached a lot of pro 157 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 1: athletes over the years, and come to find out this 158 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:33,079 Speaker 1: rule was actually developed in the sixties when timing mechanisms 159 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:36,240 Speaker 1: were not the same as they are now, and it 160 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 1: wasn't until the mid nineties when World Athletics, which is 161 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:42,280 Speaker 1: the international governing body for track and field, said yep, 162 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 1: this is the official standard. Here's Steve. And to back 163 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:50,040 Speaker 1: that up, they had a study that only had eight 164 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:55,000 Speaker 1: amateur finish sprinters in it that said, up, no one 165 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:58,240 Speaker 1: reacted faster than than point one. Oh, so this is 166 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:01,040 Speaker 1: this is the new standard. So the fact that this 167 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:04,559 Speaker 1: rule was codified into existence based on a study with 168 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 1: eight amateur sprinters, and now suddenly pro runners around the 169 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:12,720 Speaker 1: world are being held to it, obviously, you can see 170 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:16,320 Speaker 1: why it's pretty frustrating. Devon Allen was the third pretty 171 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:18,720 Speaker 1: big name DQ in this meet. A lot of people 172 00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:22,040 Speaker 1: started digging into the starting data and the timing data 173 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:24,840 Speaker 1: in Eugene specifically. Yeah, so if you look at the 174 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:30,560 Speaker 1: data um and compare it to past World championships across 175 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 1: spread events, they're all reacting a hundred. They're too faster 176 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 1: than they normally would. So the average, the median is 177 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:41,559 Speaker 1: all faster reactions. In fact, I was looking the other 178 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 1: day and normally we only have, you know, maybe a 179 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:49,560 Speaker 1: handful of reaction times that are really close to that 180 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 1: point one response, and in this track meet we've had 181 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 1: something like thirty. Now for their part, World Athletics came 182 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:01,520 Speaker 1: out and was like, look, everything's okay with the timing, 183 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:04,200 Speaker 1: but we'll look at the rule in the future. We'll 184 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:06,840 Speaker 1: take it into consideration in the future. Now a lot 185 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:10,679 Speaker 1: of people saw that as them conceding to maybe this 186 00:10:10,760 --> 00:10:14,400 Speaker 1: rule isn't fair, maybe we should revisit it. But that 187 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 1: didn't change a lot for Devon Allen. The race had 188 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:19,280 Speaker 1: already been one, the medals had been awarded, and there 189 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:23,200 Speaker 1: was this really somber shot of Devon watching the race 190 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:26,400 Speaker 1: from the call room, just sitting on like a folding 191 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:30,360 Speaker 1: chair watching the race. And it was pretty heartbreaking to 192 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:33,600 Speaker 1: know that because of this rule, because he was a 193 00:10:33,679 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 1: really good starter, but a little bit too good on 194 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 1: this day, he was out of contention for a medal. 195 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 1: That's insane, Jess. I mean, you call it heartbreaking. I 196 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:43,320 Speaker 1: think that's exactly right. If that had been me, I 197 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:45,240 Speaker 1: would never get over it. I would think about it 198 00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:47,719 Speaker 1: for the rest of my life. And Devon Allen, now 199 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:51,360 Speaker 1: he's a Eagles training camp and he's a little bit 200 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:55,520 Speaker 1: removed from it, but he's never going to be clear 201 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,199 Speaker 1: of what happened in Eugene, and he's still being asked 202 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:00,920 Speaker 1: about it even at Eagles camp. Right, What did he 203 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:03,679 Speaker 1: have to say about what happened at the World Championships. Yeah, 204 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:06,080 Speaker 1: he spoke to Reuben Frank at training camp and he 205 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:08,680 Speaker 1: said when he heard the callback On. Obviously, his first 206 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:11,680 Speaker 1: feeling was panic. I know the rules, right, you can't. 207 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:13,400 Speaker 1: You're not supposed to be able to run into protests 208 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:16,840 Speaker 1: unless there's a problem with the equipment or something you know, 209 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:21,600 Speaker 1: outside the external to start, like crowd noise or somebody 210 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:23,840 Speaker 1: making noise on the field or you know, pull volt 211 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:26,720 Speaker 1: or shopping or throwing whatever like that. Um, so you 212 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:29,600 Speaker 1: know it's pretty much just panic right away. But the 213 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:32,920 Speaker 1: thing is is, because of the timing, he didn't really 214 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:35,200 Speaker 1: have a chance to let it get to him so much. 215 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 1: He didn't have a chance to stew over it. He 216 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:40,319 Speaker 1: had to report for camp and his focus had to 217 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 1: change no matter what had happened at the meat. So 218 00:11:44,240 --> 00:11:48,600 Speaker 1: there's this sense that Devin Allen is an incredible hurdler. 219 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:51,920 Speaker 1: We know this, you know, Reuben and I were chatting 220 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:54,440 Speaker 1: about how Devon Allen could roll out of bed in 221 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 1: the middle of the night and run in the low 222 00:11:57,160 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 1: thirteen for the one ten hurdles, just to give you 223 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:02,480 Speaker 1: an idea. The world record is currently twelve eight, so 224 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:05,360 Speaker 1: that's really fast. And there's this idea that you know, 225 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:08,840 Speaker 1: not that hurtling comes easy to him, but she's really 226 00:12:08,840 --> 00:12:10,760 Speaker 1: good at it. He kind of sails through it. He 227 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:14,480 Speaker 1: does really well and he wanted a new challenge and 228 00:12:14,559 --> 00:12:17,319 Speaker 1: that is why he showed up at Eagles training camp 229 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 1: ready to go and ready to see what he could 230 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 1: do in a completely different kind of way. All Right, 231 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:24,840 Speaker 1: so he's in camp with the Eagles. I'm rooting for him. 232 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:28,160 Speaker 1: I want something good to happen for Devon Allen, especially 233 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:30,880 Speaker 1: after what happened at the World Championships. Just but as 234 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:33,120 Speaker 1: we know, this is kind of a long shot. He's undrafted, 235 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 1: he hasn't played football in six seasons. But the good 236 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 1: news is the Eagles wide receivers after A. J. Brown 237 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:40,840 Speaker 1: and DeVante Smith are not great, so he has a chance. 238 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:43,720 Speaker 1: What are his prospects looking like? What are the guys 239 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:47,360 Speaker 1: who you talked to in Phillys saying about Devon Allen? Yeah? 240 00:12:47,559 --> 00:12:49,840 Speaker 1: I got the sense in talking to people about this 241 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:54,400 Speaker 1: that it's unlikely that a permanent roster spot will become 242 00:12:54,559 --> 00:13:01,440 Speaker 1: Devan Allen's, but it's not impossible. Ruben Frank thinks that 243 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:03,680 Speaker 1: there is a potential that he could get a spot 244 00:13:03,679 --> 00:13:06,960 Speaker 1: on the practice squad. Still pretty lucrative and because of 245 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 1: these new rules under COVID, teams can pull up as 246 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 1: we know two players each game from the practice squad, 247 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:15,080 Speaker 1: so he has the potential to be called up and 248 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:18,080 Speaker 1: get a couple of game checks, which pretty good deal 249 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:21,559 Speaker 1: for Devon Allen. The other thing is, again, timing is 250 00:13:21,679 --> 00:13:25,080 Speaker 1: so working out for him. Football wraps up in February, 251 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 1: indoor track really starts ramping up in February, and you 252 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:30,600 Speaker 1: can bet that you're going to see him back on 253 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:34,160 Speaker 1: the track. He's not done with track. He wants to 254 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:37,120 Speaker 1: obviously keep going, but in terms of doing both sports, 255 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:41,079 Speaker 1: timing is really on his side. It would be great 256 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:42,800 Speaker 1: to see him back on the track. I'm glad that 257 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:46,679 Speaker 1: he's not abandoning that sport for football. Practice squad probably 258 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 1: is the best case scenario for him. So fingers crossed 259 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 1: on that one. As we know, a preseason is underway. 260 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:56,640 Speaker 1: The Eagles just played the Jets in their first preseason game. 261 00:13:57,360 --> 00:13:58,960 Speaker 1: How did Devin Allen do tell me he had a 262 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:02,520 Speaker 1: great game on I was really hoping that I would 263 00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:05,439 Speaker 1: have an amazing story for you, an amazing answer to 264 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:09,200 Speaker 1: this question. Devon Allen played the best game of his life. 265 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:15,320 Speaker 1: He stood out, all eyes were on him. That didn't happen. 266 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:18,440 Speaker 1: I think the game was decent for Devon Allen. He 267 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:21,840 Speaker 1: only played eight snaps on offense and seven on special teams, 268 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:24,840 Speaker 1: not a ton of playing time if you're looking at 269 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:27,360 Speaker 1: that as an indicator of his future with the Eagles. 270 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 1: It wasn't a game where he stood out that much. 271 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:33,040 Speaker 1: But at the same time, you know, he was out 272 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:35,440 Speaker 1: there in an Eagles uniform playing, and I think we 273 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:37,160 Speaker 1: just have to wait and see what happens with these 274 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:41,200 Speaker 1: roster cuts. I'm interested in this story just because it 275 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:44,120 Speaker 1: has so many layers. I'm interested in it because he's, 276 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:46,600 Speaker 1: you know, a track superstar who's trying his hand in 277 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 1: football again. So just from a journalism standpoint, I'm fascinated. 278 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:54,800 Speaker 1: And then also it's got that hometown flavor for me. 279 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 1: But are Eagles fans also curious about Devon Allen? What 280 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:00,720 Speaker 1: do they think of them? That's what I wanted to know. 281 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:03,600 Speaker 1: I asked Ruben, if you know Devin Allen was welcome 282 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 1: to Philly with open arms by those fans. Never happened before? 283 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:13,720 Speaker 1: He said, not quite. Um, you know, the Eagles have 284 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:16,480 Speaker 1: a wide receiver at camp who is turning a lot 285 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:20,960 Speaker 1: of heads. Britain Covey from Utah really interesting story, and 286 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 1: Ruben told me that his star is potentially starting to 287 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:26,120 Speaker 1: shine a little bit brighter than Devin Allen is getting 288 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 1: a little bit more attention. I will say that in 289 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:32,880 Speaker 1: the preseason game against the Jets, Brittain Covey reportedly tore 290 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:36,040 Speaker 1: some ligaments in his hand. He may or may not 291 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:39,360 Speaker 1: be out for some time because of that. Could this 292 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 1: be a chance for Devin Allen's star to rise? The 293 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:47,240 Speaker 1: answer to that right now is we'll see. Maybe we 294 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: don't know. But for me as a track fan, sure 295 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 1: he may not be the talk of the town in Philly, 296 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 1: but I'm excited to watch him play. I want to see, 297 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 1: you know, how this translates over to the NFL, and 298 00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:59,480 Speaker 1: I'm going to definitely keep watching Alright, just this was great. 299 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 1: I am rooting for Devon Allen. I hope it works 300 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 1: out for him in a way that it didn't work 301 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:06,960 Speaker 1: out for him at the World Championships. Excellent reporting by you. 302 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 1: Thanks for this, Yeah, thanks for having me on special 303 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 1: Thanks to Ruben Frank and Dave zan Garrow from NBC 304 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 1: Sports Philly for passing along Devon Allen's interview audio from 305 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:22,960 Speaker 1: Eagles training camp. Thanks for listening, and a reminder to 306 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:25,680 Speaker 1: please rate and review the show that helps people find us. 307 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 1: Sports Illustrated Weekly is a production of Sports Illustrated and 308 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:32,440 Speaker 1: I Heeart Radio. For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, 309 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:35,960 Speaker 1: visit the i Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever 310 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 1: you get your favorite shows. This episode of Sports Illustrated 311 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:43,000 Speaker 1: Weekly was produced by Jordan Rizzieri, Jessica Armoski, and Isaac Lee, 312 00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:46,920 Speaker 1: who was also our sound engineer. Our senior producers are 313 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:50,600 Speaker 1: Dan Bloom and Harry sward Out. Our executive producers are 314 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 1: Scott Rody and me John Gonzalez. Our theme song is 315 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:57,440 Speaker 1: by Nolan Schneider and if you've stuck around this long, 316 00:16:57,760 --> 00:17:04,800 Speaker 1: we leave you with this. Yeah. Milrose when it was 317 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:06,960 Speaker 1: at the Garden was the greatest. When I started going 318 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:10,719 Speaker 1: to mill Rose, I mean everybody guys were smoking, like 319 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:15,560 Speaker 1: this cloud of cigarettes smoke, and like you know, Rick 320 00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:19,400 Speaker 1: Walhooter's out there running like three fifty seven. It was unbelievable.