re: Alltime Saints Jersey # Countdown to First Preseason Game

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He had 5 seasons left in the tank after that- 79 starts, 344 tackles, 4 sacks, and 14 interceptions after he departed NOLA

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Deuce was a standout athlete at Morton High School, lettering in track, basketball and football. He not only focused on sports while attending Morton, but also academics. Deuce was an Honor Roll student from K-12th grade. He graduated 5th in his class and served as Student Body President his senior year. He has said that his fondest memory from high school was being able to sing with his high school show choir at Carneige Hall in New York City.
After high school, Deuce attended the University of Mississippi. He had a record-breaking career for the Rebels. McAllister is the only player in the history of Ole Miss to record three seasons with at least 1,000 all-purpose yards. In 1999, Deuce won the Conerly Trophy which is awarded to the top collegiate football player. He finished his college career at Ole Miss with records for carries (616), yards (3,060), rushing TDs (36), total touchdowns (41), points (246), and 100-yard games (13). Deuce majored in Criminal Justice. During the summer before his senior season, while Ole Miss and the state was campaigning him for the Hesiman, Deuce decided to study abroad in Costa Rica.
In April of 2001, Deuce was the 23rd over-all pick for the New Orleans Saints. Deuce went on to rush for over 1,000 yards in three straight seasons (a first in Saints history). He was the first Saint running back with 22 100-yard games, including franchise-record nine straight contests in 2003. McAllister threw a touchdown pass on December 9, 2001 vs. the Atlanta Falcons. In 2003, he finished second in the NFC in rushing and fourth in the league with a career-high 1,641 yards on 351 carries which is second in club history. Including the 516 yards on a career-high 69 receptions, McAllister posted 2,157 yards that season to set a club record and rank second in the NFC. All of these accomplishments were an encore to 2002, when in his first year as a starter he led the conference with 1,388 rushing yards, scored 16 TDS and was voted to the Pro Bowl. He was also voted to the Pro Bowl in 2003. In Deuce first-ever playoff start he rushed for 143 yards on 21 carries with one touchdown and had four catches for 20 yards and another touchdown as New Orleans defeated Philadelphia, 27-24 to earn its first-ever NFC Championship Game appearance in the team’s 40-year history. McAllister set the all-time rushing touchdown record for the New Orleans Saints with a score against the Green Bay Packers in November 24, 2008. Deuce holds the
all-time New Orleans Saints record for most career rushing yards (6,096) and touchdowns (55). Deuce retired from the NFL in January, 2010; however, he had to make history one final time. On January 15, 2010, he was re-signed by the Saints. On February 7, 2010 the New Orleans Saints won Super Bowl XLIV.
Deuce learned at an early age from his parents to always give back to others. In 2002, Deuce founded his Catch 22 Foundation. The Catch 22 Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the lives of under-privileged youth in the Gulf South Region. Since 2002, Deuce and his foundation have supported families in Mississippi and Louisiana by providing meals for families on Thanksgiving, providing a Christmas Shopping Adventure for children; providing countless educational trips through their Deuceday program; providing the means for youth to attend their Senior Prom; providing resources to families and schools after Katrina; sponsoring Summer Youth and After- School Programs; hosting youth football camps; taking groups to Saints, M-Braves, & Zephyrs ball games, just to name a few.
In 2010, Deuce received the Army Community Award for his dedication to the state of Mississippi and Louisiana. In 2011, Deuce and his Catch 22 Foundation partnered with Allstate Insurance. One of their key programs is touring the Gulf South Region and speaking to students about their ‘X the TXT’ program. ‘X the TXT’ is a program to stress the importance of students not to text while driving. Deuce and his foundation has also partnered with Southeast United Dairy Industry Association Incorporation to bring awareness to youth and parents about the importance of drinking milk and healthy eating.
Deuce is also part-owner of the King Edward Hotel project and part-owner of Mac & Bones miniature golf. As it is stated in the Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 661, which Deuce received July 2010, ‘Deuce is not only a hero to the New Orleans Saints and the Ole Miss Rebels football fans, but he symbolizes downtown economic development efforts in central Mississippi, has become the perfect citizen following his record-breaking professional football career, and is to be commended for bringing honor to his university, his community and to the State of Mississippi.’
“It has been a long road for the kid from Ludlow, but I just tried to do it right the right way every time. I left a trail that any kid in America can travel as long as they know there are trials and tribulations along the way. Joy will finally come, just be humble when it does.” Deuce McAllister

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