Raul Allegre

Raul Allegre

Raul Enrique Allegre (born June 15, 1959 in Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico) is a former football placekicker in the National Football League. In his career he kicked for the Baltimore Colts, Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants, and the New York Jets. Although he was not known for a having a strong leg, he was a clutch kicker for the Giants from 1986-1989.

Allegre began playing football in 1977, while attending Shelton Highschool in Washington, D.C. He previously played soccer, during football games he did not kickoff, being limited to kick extra points. Allegre later attended University of Texas at Austin, where he earned an undergraduate degree in civil engineering. He was drafted by the Baltimore Colts in 1983. At the end of the 1985 season, Allegre was selected for the Pro Bowl, but he was cut early the next season.

In 1986, after New York Giants' kicker Ali Haji-Sheikh was injured, the team began auditions to find a replacement. Allegre's audition was successful, kicking a 57-yard field goal that convinced Bill Parcells to sign him. Because Allegre decided to call his agent before signing the contract, Parcells decided to cancel the deal, signing instead Joe Cooper. After three ineffective game performances by Cooper, Parcells called Allegre back. During the team's Super Bowl run in 1986, he kicked game-winning field goals in consecutive weeks in a crucial mid-season stretch. Allegre kicked the opening kickoff of Super Bowl XXI, with the announcer stating that "Raul Allegre, will kick off, number 2" just before the game began.

In 1991, after kicking for the Giants in a Sunday night encounter against Washington, Allegre was released and signed by the Jets. In the season finale at Miami, Allegre tied the game in the waning moments and won the game and a playoff berth for the Jets in an overtime thriller. He lost the competition for the kicker's spot on the Jets roster in training camp before the 1992 season to Jason Staurovsky, and Allegre decided to retire due to a back injury.

During his nine seasons Allegre made 137 field goals in 186 attempts; he also scored 183 extra points for 594 points.

After retiring, Allegre planned to go back to the University of Texas to obtain a MBA degree. He was contacted by NFL Films, to participate in a Spanish-language show, oriented to test the Latin American market. Allegre was later offered a position for a Dallas Cowboys pre-game show, and later eventually leading to his current work as color commentator for Monday Night Football with Álvaro Martín for ESPN in Latin America. He also appears on NFL32 and contributes to other ESPN programs.