Eagles wide receiver Devon Allen ran the third-fastest 110-meter hurdles time in history on Sunday, crossing the finish line with a blistering time of 12.84 seconds a the USATF NYC Grand Prix.
Allen finished just four-hundredths of a second off the world record of 12.80 seconds, set by Aries Merritt in 2012. The 27-year-old beat Tokyo silver medalist Grant Holloway, who has the second-fastest time ever in the 110m hurdles (12.81), to win the event.
“I thought I could break the record today,” Allen told NBC Sports Philadelphia. “Clean up a few things, and four hundredths of a second is four thousandths of a second per hurdle, which is so small. Going to have to wait for another race.”
The Eagles signed Allen, who played college football at Oregon from 2013-16 and competed in the Ducks’ pro day in April, to a three-year contract on April 8. In three years with Oregon, Allen compiled 54 catches for 941 yards and eight touchdowns in 23 games. He also missed time after suffering two ACL tears.
“It just seems like a good opportunity just to see what I can do and contribute to a football team that made a great run last year into the playoffs, and I think with some of my natural tools, my speed, it’s going to be a big help just spreading the field open,” Allen said in April.
“I’ll be able to do a lot of things in the return game and special teams-wise as well. So I really think I can help the team, and that’s kind of my goal is to be there in whatever capacity I can to help the Eagles win, and the goal is to win a Super Bowl.”
Allen competed in the past two Olympics in the 110 meter hurdles, finishing fourth in 2020 and fifth in 2016. He plans to run in the U.S. Track & Field outdoor championships in June (23-26) and the World Athletics Championships in July (15-24) before attending training camp and devoting himself to football full-time.
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