WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – Rams tight end Davis Allen had only one catch in the team's Week 1 win over the Texans, but it was one of the most impactful. That 13-yard score on a play-action roll out from quarterback Matthew Stafford out of 12 personnel delivered the go-ahead touchdown in the victory.
For Allen, it was a welcome moment after a 2024 season that was more painful that some may have realized.
"I was really just trying to sell the run, to be honest," Allen said. "I was trying to do my part and hopefully open it up for (tight end) Colby (Parkinson). And then, kind of the way they played it, I think they felt like it was run, and I was lucky enough to get behind them. And so for a split second, I was like, 'Oh, man, this might go to me.' And so it was a cool moment. I'm glad that it happened, and I had fun celebrating with my teammates."
Just as he did as a rookie in 2023, Allen played in 15 regular season games, but started four more games in 2024. However, his production dipped from 10 catches for 95 yards and one touchdown his rookie season to six catches for 39 yards in Year 2, but the latter likely had to do with the back spasms he battled throughout 2024.
He said he first dealt with them during OTAs in the spring of 2024. Allen thought he had "got it right" and was feeling normal, only for it to flare up out of nowhere at the beginning of last season.
"I feel good right now. I feel great," Allen said. "It feels strong, but just kind of staying on top of that no matter what, even if I feel good, just so it doesn't randomly flare up again like that. But I got back to a point during the season where I felt good, and so now it's just more of just staying on top of it so we don't go back down that path."
One of the clearest signs it wasn't an issue came as he stood up straight and did a salute celebration after his touchdown, though the gesture was less about perfect posture and more about avoiding potential consequences of a promise left unkept.
According to Allen, it tied into his nickname, "The General," which was what wide receiver Puka Nacua called him at the beginning of his response to a postgame question about him. Allen said it originated in the tight end room and spread from there.
"(Tight ends) coach (Scott) Huff, he's got nicknames for all of us. And so there was a joke about how I could come across as a general, and the guys in the room just kind of ran with it," Allen explained. "And so it became a thing where, if I ever had a touchdown or caught a ball, got a first down, something like that, that I had to salute the tight ends. And if not, I was gonna have to pay for it somehow. And so that was the first thing that came to mind after I scored, like, 'Oh gosh, I gotta salute.' And thankfully, Colby was right there, and he was on the same page as me. So it was funny but kind of cool the same time, because now it's kind of becoming like a running joke with the guys. We watched in the team meeting today, I think I saluted like five or six times, just trying to get back so I could get ready for field goal. But it was a it was a good time. It was funny."
The smile on Allen's face after the touchdown said it all. So, too, did the reaction in the moment, and postgame, from teammates.
"Yeah, the general," Nacua said with a smile. "As somebody who we came in as rookies together, and I've always been a big fan of his game, so to see him go out there and be able to execute and get the first one up there is super exciting."
For head coach Sean McVay, Allen's growth since this summer stems from his maturity as player. McVay also praised Allen's toughness and competitiveness at the point of attack. That all has just as much to do with his performance as being healthy and past those back issues.
"Obviously, he made a big touchdown catch," McVay said. "He did some good stuff in the run game and we had an opportunity to be able to learn from the penalty that we had that put us at first-and-20 at the end of the game. He's a mentally and physically tough dude. He's resilient. He works hard. He just goes about his business every single day. I think he's earned the respect of his teammates and coaches and we're really glad to be able to have Davis. Like anything else, I think the work works. He's put the work in. He's consistent with that work and that's why you've seen the improvement from him."
