Larry Allen dies suddenly at 52: Cowboys legend was vacationing in Mexico

Former Dallas Cowboys star Larry Allen has passed away at the age of 52, the NFL franchise has announced. In a statement, the Cowboys revealed that Allen died suddenly on Sunday, while on vacation with his family in Mexico.

Allen “an inspiration for many other players”

“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.

“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.”

Super Bowl champion in 1995 season

Drafted by the Cowboys in 1994, after a college career that saw him play for Butte and Sonoma State, Allen spent almost all of his 14-season NFL career in Dallas. In the second of his 12 years with the Cowboys, he helped the Texan franchise to their fifth and most recent NFL win, courtesy of a 27-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Super Bowl XXX.

Hall of Famer and multi-Pro Bowler

An 11-time Pro Bowler, Allen retired in 2007 after two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. The former guard was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame six years after hanging up his cleats, and in 2019 he was named in the NFL’s 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.

“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,” Hall of Fame president Jim Porter said of Allen in a statement. “What he could do as an offensive lineman often defied logic and comprehension.”