Larry Allen

The strongest offensive lineman ever, ranked best by Fox Sports.

Larry Christopher Allen Jr. (November 27, 1971 – June 2, 2024) was an American professional football player who was a guard in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons, primarily with the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the Butte Roadrunners and the Sonoma State Cossacks, and was selected by the Cowboys in the second round of the 1994 NFL draft. A player capable of using his speed against defenders, Allen was regarded as one of the strongest players to ever play in the NFL, and has been ranked as the best offensive lineman of all-time by Fox Sports.

Quick Facts

Position: Guard
Born: 27 November 1971
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died: 2 June 2024
Place of death: Mexico
High school: Vintage (Napa, California)
College: Butte (1989–1990); Sonoma State (1992–1993)
Draft year: 1994

Lore & Background

Allen grew up in Compton, California, and had a troubled childhood, including contracting meningitis and almost dying at six weeks old, as well as being stabbed 12 times in the head, shoulder, and neck by a young neighbor while trying to protect his brother at the age of 10. He attended a different school in each of his four years of high school. As a freshman at Centennial High School in Compton, Allen lettered in football. For his sophomore year, he attended Tokay High School in Lodi.

As a junior, Allen transferred to Edison High School in Stockton. He finished high school at Vintage High School in Napa, California, but did not graduate. Allen was not academically eligible to play NCAA Division I football, so he attended Butte College in Oroville, California. In each of his two years at Butte, the team went 10–1 while winning the Golden Valley Conference, and Allen was named to the All-Conference and All-State teams both seasons.

Allen was also recognized as a J.C. All-American after his sophomore year. Allen did not attend any school the following year. After a year away from school, he enrolled at Sonoma State University, a Division II school north of San Francisco. In two years with the Cossacks, Allen gave up just one sack and was a two-time All-American.

The Cossacks were primarily a passing team and established 10 new school records, including most yards gained, most touchdown passes, best gain-per-completion rate and highest passing efficiency. During Allen's senior season, the team set a school mark with 334 rushing yards against the Cal State Hayward Pioneers. As a senior, he participated in the East–West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl.

Reader's Guide

Allen's stock dropped in the 1994 NFL draft because of his small-school background and a rotator cuff injury. Allen was the tenth offensive lineman selected in the draft and the first player ever chosen from Sonoma State. He was selected in the second round (46th overall), which marked the highest offensive lineman selection by the Cowboys since Howard Richards in 1981. In 1994, Allen started 10 regular-season games rotating between guard and tackle.

During the season, he tied Burton Lawless in 1975 and Kevin Gogan in 1987, for the most starts on the offensive line as a rookie in club history at the time; Flozell Adams broke the record in 1998. Allen helped Dallas establish a then team record by allowing just 20 sacks totaling just 93 yards (fewest in the NFL) while earning all-rookie honors. Allen was forced into a starting spot just four games into his rookie season when Mark Tuinei suffered back spasms on the road against the Washington Redskins.

He received the game ball for helping keep the Redskins sackless for the game. He recorded his first NFL start at left tackle, replacing an injured Tuinei against the Arizona Cardinals. This marked the first time a rookie offensive lineman had started for Dallas since November 24, 1991, when Erik Williams started at right tackle against the Redskins. Allen returned to a back-up role for the next two weeks, but early in the morning on October 24, Williams was injured in an automobile accident and was out for the rest of the season, after which Allen was permanently moved into the starting lineup at Williams' right tackle position beginning with a game at Cincinnati on October 30.

He received the game ball, along with Tuinei, for helping hold the New Orleans Saints without a sack in a Monday night win in New Orleans on December 19. In that Monday night contest, the 325-lb. Allen shocked the Saints by running down linebacker Darion Conner from behind on an interception return early in the game, as Allen was beginning from a standing start at the moment of the interception. The game's announcers (Al Michaels, Frank Gifford, and Dan Dierdorf) talked more about Allen's amazing feat than the actual interception.

In his first playoffs, Allen received the game ball against the Green Bay Packers on January 8, when the Dallas offense recorded 450 total yards and Troy Aikman completed 23 of 30 passes for 337 yards.

Did You Know?

In a 1994 Monday night game, the 325-lb. Allen ran down linebacker Darion Conner from behind on an interception return, a feat the announcers talked about more than the interception itself.
Allen became just the third player in league history to be selected to the Pro Bowl at more than one offensive line position.