Perseverance takes Allen far
Nimitz grad has overcome obstacles at every level to join hometown team
It was hard for Floyd Allen to relax, and just as difficult for him to sleep well enough to dream about a better life.
Thousands of miles away from his hometown of Houston, the Nimitz graduate and future Texans rookie wide receiver was homeless in California and sleeping in his car three years ago. His makeshift bed was the front passenger seat, leaned all the way back.
The black 2003 Honda Accord matched his dark mood. Allen’s car had become much more than his mode of transportation. It was his lifeline as he wandered from parking lots to public parks.
At the time, Allen contemplated giving up on his quest of playing major-college football and finding a pathway to the NFL.
When Allen wasn’t worried about his safety or being ticketed for loitering, he was thinking about catching touchdown passes or moving back home. If not for his perseverance and faith, Allen doesn’t believe he would be in the NFL today.
“When I was homeless, there were moments where I was like: ‘Is this really
what you want to do?’ ” said Allen, 23, an undrafted free agent who reports to training camp this week at NRG Stadium. “I always said that ‘If God wakes me up in the morning, that’s an opportunity to chase your dreams.’ To this day, I’m still alive. So, this is an opportunity to keep chasing it.”
When Allen was at El Camino Community College in the Los Angeles area, it marked his second junior college and his third school in a year. Allen attended four colleges in five years before getting a shot with the Texans.
After growing up in Houston and drawing interest from Division I schools, including Colorado, Georgia, Cal, Oregon and Utah, Allen tore his anterior cruciate ligament the summer before his senior year while attending an LSU football camp. He toughed it out and played that year wearing an expensive knee brace after his parents took out a loan. With his knee damaged, though, Allen’s scholarship offers vanished.
California beckons
Allen initially attended Bethany College, an NAIA school in Lindsborg, Kan. Allen adjusted to living in a small town with a population of just 3,200. In six games, Allen caught six passes for 136 yards and a touchdown.
Allen longed for the challenge of playing for a big-time school. So, he began his trek to California where he enrolled at Santa Monica Community College. Allen didn’t have a scholarship. He had high tuition and living costs to contend with and a setback.
When his credits from Bethany didn’t transfer, Allen was ruled ineligible to play for Santa Monica. Allen remained in California, attending classes and practicing with the team. He lived in a twobedroom apartment with several roommates, occasionally sleeping on the floor.
To make ends meet, Allen worked at a McDonald’s. He walked 2 miles each way to take orders at the drive-thru.
“I was the guy: ‘Hello, welcome to McDonald’s. How may I take your order?’ ”Allen said. “I’d say the hardest job is during lunch time. When the line gets backed up all the way to the street and everybody’s frustrated.
“It’s hot outside and everybody just wants to get their order, and I’m trying my best to make somebody laugh or trying to keep everybody calm so we can get the line moving.”
Allen was in a demanding cycle of work, class, practice. He kept at it even though there was no hope of him getting to play in a game that season.
“I was doing my best to try to maintain everything,” he said.
When the season was over, Allen bought the car that would later become his temporary home because he lacked the funds for a down payment on an apartment. Allen didn’t tell his parents or his coaches about his circumstances. He knew they would make him go back to Houston if he did. After nearly a month, Allen saved enough money to get an apartment.
“It’s honestly tough,” Allen said. “Knowing that you have teammates who are either from Cali or had a little bit of money to have a down payment on an apartment, it was tough. I was big on seeing the bigger picture.
“Every night, I used to just think about making it to the next level, having an opportunity to take care of my family. It always kept me motivated. Kept me from, in a sense, going insane.”
A way to get noticed
Allen auditioned at a Cal football camp, catching receivers coach Jacob Peeler’s eye with his quickness, hands and enthusiasm. Allen also wore bright clothes and hats to stand out.
“It was for sure purposeful,” Allen said. “Again, I’m not the tallest receiver. So, if you see me in a crowd full of taller people, you might bypass me. So, I always thought that ‘Why not do something to stand out?’ and all of the camps I used to go to, I used to wear something bright.”
Allen was drawing interest from several schools, including Cal, Oregon State, Boise State and Utah State, when he got hurt again. Allen attempted to play through stress fractures in his ankle before he was shut down for the season.
Invite to Ole Miss
When Peeler was hired as receivers coach at Mississippi after losing his job at Cal, Allen sent him a congratulatory message on Twitter. Peeler replied with an offer, inviting Peeler to walk on at Mississippi.
At Ole Miss, Allen was a part of a gifted receivers group that included Seattle Seahawks secondround draft pick D.K. Metcalf and Tennessee Titans second-round draft pick A.J. Brown. Allen’s story resonated with Peeler.
“Floyd is a special kid,” Peeler said. “I know how he works. That’s been his whole life story. He’ll find a way. So many kids want the easy way and aren’t willing to sacrifice. He always found a way to bounce back and kept grinding. He’s always been very humble and selfless. He put his teammates before himself. He’s a special kid. They don’t make many kids like him.”
During a training camp drill last summer at Mississippi, Allen won his matchup on a slant route. That was when he was informed by Mississippi coach Matt Luke that he had earned a scholarship.
Allen celebrated with his teammates, calling that moment the best day of his life. To many, Allen is an inspiration. He refuses to quit.
“It just keeps the fire in me burning,” Allen said. “Knowing that my story has reached a lot of
people and they, in a sense, have been telling me that I’m inspiring to them. Knowing all I’ve been through to get here. I’ve always been grateful for everything. You never know where life will take you.”
Although Allen didn’t generate big numbers for Mississippi, catching four passes for 44 yards, the 5-10, 199-pounder was a special-teams stalwart.
Learning trade in college
“The Texans got an extremely hardworking kid,” Peeler said. “You tell Floyd to do something and he’s literally going to be there at midnight, if that’s what it takes, to do it the way the coaches want. He’s extremely smart, extremely coachable. We had an extremely talented receiver room.
“When Floyd was in the game, you didn’t notice a drop-off. He didn’t have the same name recognition as those guys because he was in a stacked room, but he’s an SEC wide receiver.”
The Texans invited Allen to their rookie minicamp on a tryout basis. He impressed them with his athleticism and work ethic and was signed to a contract. Allen was finally a full-fledged NFL player.
“It’s a blessing,” said Allen, who attended the Texans’ local prospect day prior to the draft. “To be on the home team is kind of like a dream come true. I always talked to my parents about ‘How crazy would it be if I ended up playing for the Texans.’ Lo and behold, I’m here.”
Allen has leaned on his faith, his parents and his coaches to reach this point. Now that he has his foot in the door, he’s determined to prove he belongs. Every day he arrives for work at the Texans’ offices, Allen finds himself amazed this is happening.
“I’m a very humble kid, I always want to work,” Allen said. “I think they’ve seen the fire in me that wants to prove that I belong and that I can be a great teammate and a great asset to the team.
“Sometimes, I just catch myself coming into the facility and I’ll be like, ‘Man, this is crazy, I’m really in the Texans’ facility.’ I’ll walk in the locker room and I’ll see Deshaun Watson and I’m like: ‘I just watched him on TV and now he’s one of my quarterbacks.’ I’ve played Madden with these guys, so it’s always an ‘Oh wow’ moment for me.”