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."
