Tyler Allgeier had a front-row seat to watch his own backfield get more crowded, and he is choosing to embrace it rather than fight it. The Cardinals running back addressed the team’s decision to draft Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love with the third overall pick in April, just weeks after Allgeier signed a two-year, $12.25 million free agent deal to be part of Arizona’s backfield.
Speaking for the first time since the pick, Allgeier described the phone call he got from head coach Mike LaFleur immediately afterward.
“There was really good communication with LaFleur, which I can respect, because head coaches or anyone doesn’t have to do that,” Allgeier said.
The 26-year-0ld made clear he holds no resentment over the situation, framing it as part of the business.
“I knew what I was getting into, and we’re here now deep into camp. We’re splitting time, and it is great competition right now,” Allgeier said. “There’s no point in being a jerk about it.”
LaFleur’s message to Allgeier after the draft was straightforward, telling him the two backs would form a “really good tandem” in Arizona’s backfield. That has played out through camp so far, with the BYU product working with the first-team offense before Love rotates in during practice periods.
It is not the first time Allgeier has watched a team invest premium draft capital at his position. After rushing for 1,035 yards as a rookie with the Falcons in 2022, Atlanta selected Bijan Robinson eighth overall the following year, pushing him into a complementary role for the remainder of his time there.
The Cardinals’ backfield now runs four deep, also featuring veteran James Conner and 2024 third-round pick Trey Benson, both working back from injury-shortened seasons. General manager Monti Ossenfort has called it a good problem to have, leaving it to LaFleur and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett to sort out the rotation once the games begin.
For Allgeier, the approach remains simple. Rather than viewing the crowded room as a threat, he is treating the competition as motivation heading into a season where nothing about his role is guaranteed.
Tyler Allgeier had a front-row seat to watch his own backfield get more crowded, and he is choosing to embrace it rather than fight it. The Cardinals running back addressed the team’s decision to draft Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love with the third overall pick in April, just weeks after Allgeier signed a two-year, $12.