The Las Vegas Raiders have a punt return play called “Magic,” which suits Tyreik McAllister perfectly. He might not have been on coach Antonio Pierce’s radar before the preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers on Friday night, but his standout performance may have changed that.
McAllister returned a punt 81 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter and made a reception for a go-ahead score in the third quarter of the 24-24 tie.
“We’ve been seeing it in practice, but today, I mean he took it to another level,” Pierce said. “He took one to the end zone, made a great catch and adjustment on another reception, and covered kicks well. He made a significant impact.”
McAllister, who signed a reserve/future contract in January, ended the game with two receptions for 56 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown, and ran the ball once for seven yards.
Johnnie Lee Higgins is the only other Raiders player to score a touchdown through a punt return and a reception in a regular season or playoff game, which he did against the Houston Texans on December 21, 2008.
“It felt good just going out there and making plays,” said McAllister, who was a Division II running back at Charleston and went undrafted in 2022.
“Everybody knew this game was important for the younger guys, so we just wanted to make a strong impression in the last game.
“You don’t want to put too much pressure on one game, but everyone knew it was crucial for those trying to make the roster or the practice squad.”
The 5-foot-10 wide receiver had brief stints on the Denver Broncos’ practice squad before playing in the Canadian Football League in 2023 with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, where he developed his skills as a kick returner.
