Cowboys Hall of Famer Larry Allen dies at 52

Dallas Cowboys Hall of Fame offensive lineman Larry Allen died suddenly Sunday while on vacation in Mexico with his family, the team announced. He was 52.

In a statement released Monday morning, the Cowboys said Allen was “known for his great athleticism and incredible strength, was one of the most respected, accomplished offensive linemen to ever play in the NFL.”

“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 team said.

Allen, a member of both the team’s Ring of Honor member and of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, was widely regarded as one of the greatest and strongest linemen to ever play the game.

“His versatility and dependability were also signature parts of his career,” the Cowboys said. “Through that, he continued to serve as inspiration for many other players, defining what it meant to be a great teammate, competitor and winner,” the team said in a statement Monday. “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.”

Throughout his legendary NFL career, Allen was an 11-time Pro Bowler and six-time first-team All-Pro. He spent 12 seasons in Dallas, winning a Super Bowl with the team in 1996. After a brief stay with the San Francisco 49ers in 2006-2007, Allen was signed to a one-day contract before the 2008 season so that he could retire as a member of the Dallas Cowboys.

Allen was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013. Of his induction, team owner Jerry Jones said he was a fierce player and one of the very best to ever step on the field.

“Larry is one of the greatest players in Cowboys history, and arguably the very best guard to ever play the game,” Jones said in a statement in 2013. “He was obviously a special talent, but the fierceness and tenacity that he brought to the field separated him from the rest of the pack. I have never been more proud of anyone who has reached the Pro Football Hall Fame. Larry Allen represents the best of the very best.”

Memorial service arrangements and details will be announced in the near future.

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