MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2010 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Watson, Michel, McDaniel, Walls, Davis, Yancey, Flowers, Powell, Burton, Butler, Butler (36th), Carmichael, Dearing, Fillingane, Frazier, Gordon, Hopson, Horhn, Lee (35th), Simmons, Stone, Ward, Jackson (32nd)
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND SALUTING NEW ORLEANS SAINTS FOOTBALL CAREER RUSHING LEADER AND FORMER OLE MISS FOOTBALL STAR DEUCE MCALLISTER ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT.
WHEREAS, on January 19, 2010, Deuce McAllister retired from pro football, ending an eight-year career in which he rewrote the New Orleans Saints' rushing records. McAllister had rejoined the Saints to serve as an honorary captain for the club's play-off post season. Deuce McAllister is the Saints' career rushing leader with 6,096 yards. His 55 total touchdowns and 49 rushing touchdowns are also club records; and
WHEREAS, Dulymus Jenod "Deuce" McAllister was born December 27, 1978, in Lena, Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, Deuce McAllister played college football for Ole Miss. 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. He finished his college career with Ole Miss records for carries (616), yards (3,060), rushing TDs (36), total touchdowns (41), points (246) and 100-yard games (13); and
WHEREAS, Deuce McAllister was drafted by the Saints in the first round (23rd overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft. He became the starting running back after Ricky Williams was traded. He went on to rush for over 1,000 yards in three straight seasons (a first in Saints' history). All of his final 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 touchdowns and voted to the Pro Bowl. McAllister is the lone Saints' running back to be voted to the Pro Bowl in consecutive seasons; and
WHEREAS, McAllister was placed on injured reserve on October 10, 2005, and returned to the roster for the 2006 season. While Deuce remained the starter, he shared time in the backfield for the first time in his career with the Saints' first-round draft pick Reggie Bush. In his first-ever playoff start McAllister 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; and
WHEREAS, McAllister set the all-time rushing touchdown record for the New Orleans Saints with a score against the Green Bay Packers on November 24, 2008; and
WHEREAS, after sitting out the entire 2009 regular season, McAllister was re-signed by the Saints on January 15, 2010, just one day before their divisional round playoff game against the Arizona Cardinals. "Deuce McAllister has always embodied the spirit of the New Orleans Saints and the City of New Orleans," Saints Head Coach Sean Payton said in a statement regarding McAllister rejoining the team. "We're excited to have him back with the team." After McAllister announced his plan to formally retire from the NFL, he said he expected to stay involved with the Saints organization; and
WHEREAS, Quarterback Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints Football Team rallied to upset Quarterback Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 on Sunday, February 7, 2010, in Miami's Sun Life Stadium in one of pro football's most thrilling title games. Former Saint running back Deuce McAllister (who was an honorary Captain for the Super Bowl Saints) stated that the team played for so much more than just themselves, they played for their city, the entire Gulf Coast region and Saints fans everywhere; and
WHEREAS, McAllister runs the Catch 22 Foundation, which is dedicated to under-privileged youth and adolescents in the Gulf South Region. He is also part owner of the King Edward Hotel project, which is the anchor of economic development to revitalize downtown Jackson, Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, not only is Deuce 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 corporate 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:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby recognize and salute New Orleans Saints Football career rushing leader and former University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) football star Dulymus J. "Deuce" McAllister on the occasion of his formal retirement from the NFL and extend to him this tribute to show the high esteem with which he is held by the citizens of his home state of Mississippi.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Deuce McAllister, forwarded to the New Orleans Saints Football Team and to the University of Mississippi Sports Information Department and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.