Keenan Allen’s first weeks in Indianapolis have already been rocked by a legal case that now sits squarely over his football future. The Colts wide receiver has been formally charged after his drunk-driving arrest, with court records showing two misdemeanor counts: operating a vehicle while intoxicated and operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration of equivalent to .15 or more.
Allen, 34, was pulled over just 11 days after signing with his new team, and the details in the affidavit paint a troubling scene. According to court documents first reported by Fox 59, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police spotted a vehicle parked in front of a meter with a “no parking” sign at around 1am on August 30. When an officer approached the driver - later confirmed to be Allen - he was reportedly met with “extremely slurred speech and glassy eyes”.
The officer also said he detected “the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his breath,” and noted that Allen “constantly licked his lips”, according to the affidavit. Allen submitted to a portable breathalyzer test, failed to register a reading twice, and then recorded a 0.224 reading - nearly three times the legal driving limit in Indiana. He also consented to a blood draw before being taken to the Marion County Jail, where a public mugshot showed him with glassy eyes.
The case was formally filed on Tuesday, and Allen and his counsel waived the initial hearing that had been scheduled for Wednesday.
The football consequences could be serious. The NFL’s policy allows for an eight-game suspension in cases of “aggravating circumstances,” and Allen’s “extreme intoxication of .15 or more” would fall under that category. If the league goes that route, the Colts could release him from the one-year deal he signed in August, putting his career in real jeopardy as he approaches his 35th birthday next April.
Allen still suited up for Indianapolis in its season-opening loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, catching all six of his targets for 32 yards. He is listed third on the Colts depth chart behind Alec Pierce and Josh Downs.
The financial and football resume behind Allen is substantial. He has earned just under $140 million in the NFL and is a six-time Pro Bowler and former Comeback Player of the Year.
He spent 12 of his 13 seasons with the Chargers organization after being selected by San Diego in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. After the team moved to LA ahead of the 2017 season, Allen produced his best year, posting 1,393 receiving yards - third-most in the NFL - and winning Comeback Player of the Year after an ACL tear limited him to one game in 2016.
His path has been moving quickly in recent seasons. In March 2024 he was traded to the Chicago Bears, then returned to the Chargers for the 2025 season after a year away. Last year he played on a one-year, $8.5 million deal and appeared in all 18 games, including the Wild Card playoff loss to the New England Patriots.
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