Saints acknowledge McAllister's uncertain future

"Deuce has at least two or three more years in him," fullback Mike Karney said. "He might be limping out there and running with one leg, but he can still play. I'll take a beat-up Deuce any day of the week."

McAllister said he would prefer to stay in New Orleans, not far from his native Mississippi, where he played in college for Ole Miss. His car dealerships, restaurants and charities are all based in the region. He is cheered wildly at public appearances in the area.

But McAllister also wants to be more than a role player.

"You want to leave on your own terms and whether it's good or bad, eventually you're going to have to go," McAllister said. "But I feel like I can still play this game. So whatever happens as far as playing it here, there, wherever it may be, that's going to happen, but I want to be here."

If he has to leave the area, "It will be definitely difficult," he said.

Numerous teammates asserted that New Orleans also has had something special as long as McAllister has been around.

"I told Deuce, I've been telling him for a long time, that I'm going to be able to tell my kids someday -- hopefully when I have kids -- that I played with Deuce," Karney said. "I think that says it all right there."