Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Devon Allen (39). Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Eagles activate Olympic hurdler for 'Monday Night Football'

By Bruce Ewing | Last updated 9/25/23

Philadelphia hasn't beaten Tampa Bay since 2013. The Eagles didn’t have a two-time Olympic hurdler on the roster back then, but they do now.

The Eagles have activated 28-year-old wide receiver Devon Allen ahead of tonight’s prime-time matchup. Allen played for Oregon from 2014-16 where he had eight touchdowns and 919 yards while averaging 17 yards per catch for the Ducks.

He took a six-year hiatus from football to compete as an Olympic track and field athlete. After winning the NCAA Outdoor Championship in the 110-meter hurdles in 2016, Allen placed fifth at the Rio Olympic Games with a time of 13.31 in the event. Four years later, his 13.14 time earned him fourth place at the Tokyo Games.

✅ Drop opening kickoff
✅ Pick ball up
✅ Return it 73-yards

Former Olympic hurdler Devon Allen showed off allllll his speed on this return ⚡️ #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/EXDoitDXX2
— NFL UK (@NFLUK) August 25, 2023

The Eagles will be without wide receiver Quez Watkins against Tampa, which opens the door for a player like Allen. Watkins is a burner whose primary role is to stretch opposing defenses. Philadelphia could have activated players like Greg Ward or Joseph Ngata, but the team obviously prefers speed over experience against the Bucs.

Allen spent the 2022 season on the Eagles’ practice squad. He has minimal experience playing in preseason games but has never played in a regular-season game. This offseason, he returned the opening kickoff 73 yards in the preseason finale against the Colts. In 2022, he caught a 55-yard touchdown pass from Reid Sinnett against the Browns.

Philadelphia also called up Braden Mann after releasing punter Arryn Siposs. Could special teams coordinator Michael Clay have something up his sleeve on special teams with a new punter and a speedster like Allen?

Eagles fans will find out when Philadelphia visits Tampa Bay on “Monday Night Football."

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