Mexican · Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico · Born 15 June 1959Raúl Allegre is a Mexican former NFL placekicker who won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants, becoming one of the most successful Mexican-born players in league history after switching from soccer as a teenage exchange student.
Raúl Allegre grew up playing soccer in Mexico and only first attempted to kick an American football as a high school exchange student in Washington state — yet he went on to earn a Pro Bowl selection, win Super Bowl XXI with the New York Giants, and build a career as one of the more unlikely specialists in NFL history.. Having never played American football, he was asked by his coach to try kicking, and despite great distance, his early attempts sailed under the crossbar; he improved quickly enough to earn a scholarship to the University of Montana, later transferring to the University of Texas, where he earned a degree in civil engineering. Allegre signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 1983, before being traded to the Baltimore Colts, where he earned second-team All-Pro honours as a rookie and a Pro Bowl selection in 1985. He joined the New York Giants in 1986, and became a key contributor during the franchise's most successful era, kicking a field goal and four extra points in Super Bowl XXI as the Giants won their first championship of the decade. Allegre remained with the Giants through the 1990 season, when the team won Super Bowl XXV, though a mid-season injury saw him replaced by Matt Bahr, who kicked in that game; Allegre nonetheless earned a championship ring as part of the roster, making him a two-time Super Bowl winner. He closed his nine-season NFL career with a brief stint at the New York Jets in 1991, finishing with 137 field goals and 594 career points, and later became a broadcaster, working extensively in Spanish-language NFL coverage.
Winning two Super Bowls as the New York Giants' placekicker after converting from soccer as a teenager
How They Played
Accurate, clutch placekicker with a soccer-honed leg
Lasting Impact
One of the most successful Mexican-born players in NFL history and a pioneering figure for Hispanic representation in American football
Career Honours
- 2x Super Bowl champion (XXI, XXV, New York Giants)
- Second-team All-Pro (1983)
- Pro Bowl selection (1985)
- 137 career field goals
| Team | Period | Games |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts | 1983–1985 | — |
| New York Giants | 1986–1991 | — |
| New York Jets | 1991–1991 | — |
Mexican Athletes