Chris McAlister
A shutdown corner with a flair for the dramatic, his 107-yard missed field goal return remains the longest play in NFL history.
Born 1977 (age 49)·American football player·Birthday: June 14·Generation X
Biography
Chris McAlister arrived in Baltimore as a first-round pick in 1999, a physical specimen from Arizona who immediately looked the part of a franchise cornerback. He became the linchpin of a secondary that was central to the Ravens' intimidating defensive identity. While his coverage skills were elite, his legacy is cemented by a single, breathtaking play: in 2002, he snatched a missed field goal in his own end zone and sprinted the entire length of the field for a touchdown, a record that still stands. His career, which included a Super Bowl XXXV victory and three Pro Bowl selections, was a blend of consistent lockdown play and occasional, game-breaking brilliance. After a decade in Baltimore, he finished his playing days with the Saints before transitioning into coaching, aiming to impart his aggressive, ball-hawking philosophy to a new generation.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Chris was born in 1977, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
Chris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Could drive
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 49 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Selected 10th overall by the Baltimore Ravens in the 1999 NFL Draft.
- Recorded a 107-yard return of a missed field goal for a touchdown in 2002, the longest play in NFL history.
- Won Super Bowl XXXV as a starting cornerback for the Baltimore Ravens.
- Earned three Pro Bowl selections (2003, 2004, 2006).
- Was named a unanimous All-American in his final season at the University of Arizona.
Did You Know?
His father, James McAlister, was an Olympic long jumper and an NFL running back.
He played the saxophone as a child and was in his school's marching band.
He was a standout track and field athlete in high school, competing in the long jump and high hurdles.
His record 107-yard touchdown came against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football.
“My side of the field is a no-fly zone.”
