Watch CBS News

Ex-Steeler Will Allen Plagued By Mistaken Identity

Tom Bogert, CBS Local Sports

There's been a Will Allen in the news with ignominious headlines passively for the past year or so. Former New York Giant/Miami Dolphin Will D. Allen has pleaded guilty to charges from a Ponzi scheme, in which he fraudulently hoaxed teammates, friends and strangers out of millions of dollars. He's had his day in court, and justice has been served.

On the periphery of this scandal, a different Will Allen has been affected, the one who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and is absolutely exasperated with this. When the story broke in 2015, Allen reckons that a dozen media outlets mistakenly used his picture.

"That's what makes it so difficult -- to question my character," Willie Allen told ESPN, the one not involved in a Ponzi scheme.

He still continues to receive flak for it, and it continues to plague his foundation, The Will Allen Foundation. His foundation is currently raising money for gifts to underprivileged kids in Pittsburgh, where he lives.

"You get all the negativity and [people] can say whatever -- I can't really do anything about that," Allen said. "You kind of have to stop and pause for a minute. ... But there's no telling who reads that and how they perceive it. We're in a society where it's largely about perception. ... I've had to answer a lot of questions. I've tried to do all I can to move on from that."

Allen hasn't officially retired from the NFL yet, though he's gotten no work. Last season, the Steelers decided against re-signing him and he had a workout with the Giants this season, no contract materialized.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.