Dallas Cowboys Hall of Fame offensive lineman Larry Allen died at age 52 while he was on vacation with his family in Mexico, the team announced.
The cause of death has not been released.
“Larry, known for his great athleticism and incredible strength, was one of the most respected, accomplished offensive linemen to ever play in the NFL,” the Cowboys 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.”
“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 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.”
The Cowboys selected the 6-foot-3-inch, 325-pound Allen in the second round (46th overall) in the 1994 NFL Draft from Sonoma State in California. He made an almost immediate impact, playing in all 16 games, including 10 starts, in his rookie year.
In his second season, he started at right guard spot and blocked for Hall-of-Fame running back Emmitt Smith, who set a Cowboys single-season record with 1,773 yards rushing. Dallas finished fifth in total offense that season.
From there, Allen became one of the most dominant offensive linemen in the NFL. He was also a force in the weight room,
bench-pressing 700 pounds.
Allen
played 10 seasons in Dallas and two in San Francisco. He was named to 11 Pro Bowls and earned six first-team All-Pro selections. Allen played in two NFC championship games and was the starting right guard in the Cowboys 27-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX.
“Just received the heartbreaking news of the passing of our beloved teammate Larry Allen,” former Cowboys quarterback and current football analyst Troy Aikmen
wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “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.”
Over his career, Allen played right tackle, right guard and received most of his accolades at left tackle, where he was a first-team All-Pro six times. Allen was named to the All-Decade team for the 2000s.
“When I got to Dallas, they had just won two Super Bowls,” Allen
said in 2013. “They had the best player at every position. I was a rookie. I didn’t start. It was the first time in my life I didn’t start. So what I did was learn. I learned from a lot of great players like Erik Williams, Derek Kennard, Mark Stepnoski, Nate Newton, Ray Donaldson, and the great Mark Tuinei. All these great linemen took me under their wing and they helped me.”
Allen was named the NFL’s Offensive Lineman of the Year by the NFL Alumni in 1997 and by the NFL Players Association as the NFC Offensive Lineman of the Year in 1996 and 1997.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013.
“The National Football League is filled with gifted athletes, but only a rare few have combined the size, brute strength, speed and agility of Larry Allen,” Pro Football Hall of Fame president Jim Porter said in a
statement. “What he could do as an offensive lineman often defied logic and comprehension. In a six-season span, he was named All-Pro every year, and one of those seasons came when the Cowboys needed him to step in at tackle. He could literally beat the will out of his opponents, with many quitting midgame or not dressing at all rather than face him, but that was only on the field. Off it, he was a quiet, gentle giant. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Janelle; daughters, Jayla and Loriana; and son, Larry III.”
Allen was known for overcoming adversity in his life growing up in Compton, California. During his Hall-of-Fame speech, he revealed that when he was a young boy, he tried to protect his younger brother during a fight. The assailant wound up stabbing Allen, but he managed to survive.
Later, Allen’s mother made him fight the person who stabbed him.
“She said you will fight him until you win,” Allen said. “First day I lost. Second day I lost. The third day I finally won. That was one of the most valuable lessons I learned in my life, never to back down from anybody.”
That type of toughness carried over to the field and the entire NFL football community is mourning Allen’s death.
A memorial service is still being arranged.
“Just heard the horrible news about one of the greatest players that’s ever played our game, Larry Allen, RIP gladiator,” former Cowboys defensive tackle Tony Casillas
wrote on X. “Honored to have been your teammate. Prayers for his family.”
