Dallas Cowboys Legend Larry Allen Dies at 52 During Family Vacation in Mexico
Dallas Cowboys legend Larry Allen passed away suddenly this week at the age of 52 while on vacation with his family in Mexico, RadarOnline.com can confirm.
In a heartbreaking development to come years after Allen retired from the NFL back in 2009, it was revealed that the 1996 Super Bowl winner passed away on Sunday.
The Dallas Cowboys confirmed Allen’s sudden passing in a statement released on Monday.
“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 team wrote one day after Allen’s devastating passing. “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,” the Cowboys continued. “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 team wrote.
“Memorial service arrangements and details will be announced in the near future.”
Allen joined the NFL in 1994 as a second-round draft pick out of California’s Sonoma State University.
He played for the Dallas Cowboys from 1994 to 2005 before joining the San Francisco 49ers for the 2006 and 2007 seasons.
Dallas then signed Allen to a one-day contract in August 2009 so that he could officially retire as a Cowboy. The Cowboys placed Allen on the retired list one day later.
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Flash forward to 2013, and the football legend was named a first-ballot inductee into the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio that year.
“The NFL family is deeply saddened by the passing of Hall of Famer, Super Bowl Champion, and Cowboys legend, Larry Allen,” the NFL said in a statement shortly after Allen’s passing was announced on Monday.
“Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones,” the league added.
Troy Aikman, who was just one of the many Dallas quarterbacks that Allen protected as a guard during his 12 seasons with the Cowboys, also took to social media to pay tribute to his late teammate.
"Just received the heartbreaking news of the passing of our beloved teammate Larry Allen,” Aikman, who retired in 2001, tweeted. “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,” Aikman added. “Rest in Peace LA.”
R.I.P. Larry Allen.