Larry Allen, a Hall of Fame offensive lineman who spent 12 of his 14 NFL seasons with the Cowboys, died suddenly Sunday while vacationing in Mexico with his family, the team announced Monday.
He was 52 years old.
“Known for his incredible athletic ability and incredible strength, Larry was one of the most respected and accomplished offensive linemen in NFL history,” the Cowboys said in a statement.
“His versatility and reliability were also hallmarks of his career. Through it all, he continued to inspire so many others and defined what it means to be a great teammate, competitor and winner.”
Allen’s cause of death was not immediately released, but he is survived by his wife, Janelle, and his children, Jayla, Lorianna and Larry III.
“The Jones family and Cowboys offer their heartfelt condolences and prayers to the Allen family and grieve along with the many other friends and Cowboys teammates who loved Larry,” the statement continued.
Allen, a second-round draft pick out of Sonoma State in 1994, was selected to the Pro Bowl 11 times, primarily as a guard with the Cowboys from 1994-2005, and was a member of Dallas’ 1995 Super Bowl team.
He played his final two NFL seasons with the 49ers and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio in 2013.
Known for his speed and strength for his size (6-foot-3, 335 pounds), Allen once reportedly bench-pressed 700 pounds and anchored the Cowboys’ offensive line in front of star quarterbacks Troy Aikman and Tony Romo.
Allen also played left tackle and right tackle, but was named to the All-Decade teams of the 1990s and 2000s as a left guard.
The Compton, Calif., native, who was once stabbed 12 times while protecting one of his brothers, attended four different high schools before playing collegiately at Butte College and Sonoma State University.
The Cowboys said memorial arrangements are being planned.
