“Larry noted for his tremendous quickness and power, was one of the most respected and successful offensive linemen to ever play in the NFL. His adaptability and reliability were other defining characteristics of his career. He continued to inspire many other players by defining what it meant to be a great teammate, competitor, and winner,” the club stated in a statement.
His son Larry III, his daughters Jayla and Loriana, and his wife Janelle—whom he referred to as his heart and soul—all showed him a lot of love and care. The Jones family and the Cowboys send their heartfelt sympathies, thoughts, and prayers to the Allen family, as well as the many other friends and Cowboys colleagues who adored Larry. The Cowboys stated that memorial service details would be revealed soon.
Allen was drafted in the second round out of Sonoma State in 1994 and rapidly established himself as one of the NFL’s most formidable offensive linemen.
He was selected for the Pro Bowl 11 times and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013. He played with the Cowboys from 1994 to 2005, winning the Super Bowl in 1995. He spent the last two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers.
Allen endured a difficult childhood in Compton, California. He was stabbed 12 times while shielding one of his brothers. He went to four different high schools before entering Butte College. He subsequently shined at Sonoma State, where the Cowboys selected the young but talented Allen with the 46th selection.
He defended Cowboys quarterbacks from Troy Aikman to Tony Romo and even switched from guard to tackle during a game. He played right tackle, right guard, and left tackle, but he was most known for his work as a left guard, earning six first-team All-Pro honors.
“We just got the devastating news that our great comrade Larry Allen had passed away. He was a Hall of Fame offensive lineman who destroyed opponents no matter which position he played. Off the field, he was a gentle giant who loved his family. On Monday, Aikman wrote to X, “Rest in Peace, LA.”
Allen was nominated to the NFL’s top-100 list in 2019, which ranks the best 100 players in league history. According to ESPN Stats and Information, he was also selected for the All-Decade teams for the 1990s and 2000s, making him one of just three players to have done so, along with Willie Roaf and Warren Sapp.
His strength in the Cowboys’ weight room was famous, as he once bench-pressed 700 pounds. His speed for his size shocked many, notably when he raced down New Orleans Saints linebacker Darion Conner on an interception return in 1994.
“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,” the Hall of Fame stated in a statement. “What he could do as an offensive lineman often defied logic and comprehension.”
Allen played his last two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, who were closer to his home. Then, true to his player attitude, Allen retreated to a tranquil life in Northern California with his wife and three children.
The Cowboys stated that his wife, Janelle, whom he referred to as his heart and soul, his daughters Jayla and Loriana, and his son Larry III all showed him a lot of love and care.
Allen was playing at Butte College when his Sonoma State coach, Frank Scalercio, spotted him at the junior college, where the lineman had attended four high schools in the Los Angeles region, thanks in part to his mother moving him around to keep him away from gangs.
Scalercio, then an assistant at Sonoma, was recruiting another player when he watched Allen toss an opponent to the ground for the first time.
“I kind of forgot about the guy I was recruiting,” Scalercio said.
Allen wound up in small Sonoma, a Division II school, because his academic achievement was insufficient to advance him to Division I, where he most likely deserved.
“He could 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,” the Hall of Fame noted. “Off it, he was a quiet, gentle giant.”
In retirement, Allen attended Sonoma basketball games (the football program was discontinued a few years later) and enthusiastically signed autographs and posed for photos.
“He’s even bigger now than he ever was on campus,” Tim Burrell, Allen’s buddy, said in 2013. “Everybody loves him.”
Frequently Asked Questions
How old was Larry Allen?
Larry Allen, a Dallas Cowboys Hall of Fame offensive lineman, died unexpectedly Sunday while on vacation in Mexico with his family, the organization confirmed. He was 52.
When did Larry Allen play?
Allen, a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2013, spent 14 seasons in the NFL from 1994 to 2007, concluding with the San Francisco 49ers after 12 years with the Cowboys. He was an All-Decade selection in the 1990s and 2000s, a seven-time first-team All-Pro, and an 11-time Pro Bowl participant.
