Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive lineman Larry Allen died “suddenly” on Sunday while on a family vacation in Mexico, according to a statement from the Dallas Cowboys.
He was 52 years old.
Allen, a member of the 2013 Pro Football Hall of Fame class, a second-round pick (46th overall) out of Sonoma State in the 1994 NFL Draft, played every offensive-line position for Dallas with the exception of center.
He suited up at right tackle (1994), right guard (1995-1997), left tackle (1998) and left guard (1999-2007). He earned 11 Pro Bowl selections, six First-Team All-Pro nods and was a member of the Cowboys’ latest Super Bowl team in the 1995 season.
He was inducted into the Cowboys Ring of Honor in 2011. Allen played a critical role in opening running lanes for Cowboys Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher.
“Larry, known for his great athleticism and incredible strength, was one of the most respected, accomplished offensive linemen to ever play in the NFL,” Dallas said in a statement. “His versatility and dependability were also signature parts of his career. Through that, he continued to serve as inspiration for many other players, defining what it meant to be a great teammate, competitor and winner.”
Allen was also a member of both the 1990s and 2000s All-Decade teams with a career spanning 14 seasons from 1994-2007.
He played 12 of his 14 seasons with Dallas (1994-2005) before wrapping up his football career with the San Francisco 49ers.
“He was “deeply loved and cared for by his wife, Janelle — whom he referred to as his heart and soul — his daughters Jayla and Loriana and son, Larry III,” the Cowboys said in a statement. “The Jones family and the Cowboys extend their deepest condolences, thoughts and prayers to the Allen family and grieve along with the many other friends and Cowboys teammates that also loved Larry.”
Allen overcame a challenging upbringing in Compton, California. He was once stabbed 12 times while protecting one of his brothers. He attended four different high schools before going to Butte College.
He later starred at Sonoma State, where the Cowboys found the raw but talented Allen and drafted him with the 46th pick.
He protected Cowboys quarterbacks from Troy Aikman to Tony Romo and once shifted from guard to tackle in games. He played right tackle, right guard and left tackle but mostly starred at left guard and was a first-team All-Pro six times.
“Just received the heartbreaking news of the passing of our beloved teammate Larry Allen,” Aikman posted to X on Monday. “He was a HOF offensive lineman that dominated opponents regardless of the position played. Off the field, he was a gentle giant that loved his family. Rest in Peace LA.”
Former Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith said in a video posted to Instagram that the news of Allen’s death “just breaks my heart.”
“I’m at a loss of words right now. Such a good dude, great player, super person,” Smith said.
He added: “The one thing about Larry Allen, I know. He had a big heart and he lived life to the fullest. A man of very few words but on the football field was a beast. And [he] will be sorely missed.”
Allen was named in 2019 to the NFL’s top-100 list in 2019, which ranked the best players in league history. He also was chosen for the All-Decade teams for both the 1990s and 2000s and is one of just three players to be named to both teams, joining Willie Roaf and Warren Sapp, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
His feats of strength in the Cowboys’ weight room were legendary, including once bench-pressing 700 pounds. He astounded many with his speed for his frame, as when he chased down New Orleans Saints linebacker Darion Conner on an interception return in 1994.
By ESPN
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