Larry Allen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Larry Allen

Allen with the 49ers in 2007
No. 73, 71
Position:	Guard
Personal information
Born:	(1971-11-27)November 27, 1971 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died:	June 2, 2024(2024-06-02) (aged 52) Mexico
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	325 lb (147 kg)
Career information
High school:	Vintage (Napa, California)
College:	Butte (1989–1990) Sonoma State (1992–1993)
NFL Draft:	1994 / Round: 2 / Pick: 46
Career history
Dallas Cowboys (1994) San Francisco 49ers (2006)
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (XXX) 6× First-team All-Pro (1996–2001) Second-team All-Pro (1995) 11× Pro Bowl (1995–2001, 2003–2006) PFWA All-Rookie Team (1994) NFL 1990s All-Decade Team NFL 2000s All-Decade Team NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor
Career NFL statistics
Games played: 203 Games started: 197 Fumble recoveries: 4
Player stats at PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Larry Christopher Allen Jr. (born November 27, 1971 – died June 2, 2024) was an American professional football player. He played as a guard in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. Most of his career was with the Dallas Cowboys.

Larry Allen played college football for the Butte Roadrunners and the Sonoma State Cossacks. The Cowboys picked him in the second round of the 1994 NFL draft. Many people think Allen was one of the strongest players ever in the NFL. He was also very fast for his size.

He played his first 12 seasons with the Cowboys. During this time, he was chosen for the Pro Bowl ten times. He also earned six first-team All-Pro honors. Allen was a key part of the team that won Super Bowl XXX against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played his last two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. There, he was chosen for his 11th Pro Bowl. Larry Allen was added to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013.

Early Life

Larry Allen grew up in Compton, California. He had a difficult childhood. He went to a different high school each year. As a freshman, he played football at Centennial High School. For his second year, he went to Tokay High School in Lodi. As a junior, Allen moved to Edison High School in Stockton. He finished high school at Vintage High School in Napa, California. However, he did not graduate.

College Football Career

Allen could not play NCAA Division I football right away because of his grades. So, he went to Butte College in Oroville, California. In both of his years at Butte, his team won the Golden Valley Conference with a 10–1 record. Allen was named to the All-Conference and All-State teams both seasons. He was also recognized as an All-American after his second year.

After a year away from school, he joined Sonoma State University. This was a Division II school. In his two years with the Cossacks, Allen rarely allowed a sack. He was named an All-American twice. The Cossacks focused on passing the ball. They set many school records for passing. In Allen's senior year, the team also set a record for rushing yards in one game. After his senior year, he played in the East–West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl.

Professional Football Career

NFL Draft

Larry Allen's draft position dropped a bit. This was because he came from a smaller school. He also had a shoulder injury. He was the tenth offensive lineman picked in the 1994 NFL draft. He was the first player ever chosen from Sonoma State. The Cowboys selected him in the second round, as the 46th overall pick.

Dallas Cowboys

Allen's #73 jersey exhibited at the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Early Years with Cowboys

In 1994, Allen started 10 regular-season games. He played both guard and tackle. He helped the Cowboys allow very few sacks. This earned him all-rookie honors. Allen became a starter early in his rookie season. This happened when another player, Erik Williams, was injured. Allen then became the permanent starter at right tackle.

One famous moment was in a game against the New Orleans Saints. The 325-pound Allen chased down a much lighter linebacker from behind. This showed his amazing speed for such a big player. In his first playoffs, Allen played well against the Green Bay Packers. He helped the offense gain many yards.

In 1995, Allen earned his first of seven straight trips to the Pro Bowl. He was one of four Cowboys offensive linemen chosen for the Pro Bowl. The team's offense was strong. Emmitt Smith rushed for a team record 1,773 yards. Allen made his first start at right guard in the season opener. On January 28, 1996, Allen started in his first Super Bowl. The Cowboys beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-17 in Super Bowl XXX. This was his only Super Bowl win.

In 1996, Allen went to his second Pro Bowl. He also earned All-Pro honors. The Cowboys' offensive line allowed very few sacks. Emmitt Smith continued to rush for over 1,200 yards. In 1997, Allen was moved between guard and tackle. Despite this, he was chosen for his third Pro Bowl. He earned first-team All-Pro honors again.

In 1998, Allen was set to start at left tackle. This was his first full season protecting Troy Aikman's "blindside" (the side a right-handed quarterback cannot see). He earned All-Pro honors. Allen became only the third player ever to be chosen for the Pro Bowl at more than one offensive line position. His blocking helped Emmitt Smith have seven 100-yard rushing games.

In 1999, Allen started at his third offensive line position in three years. He missed five games due to injury. Still, he was chosen for his fifth straight Pro Bowl. He earned All-Pro honors at guard. He helped the Cowboys' offensive line allow the second-fewest sacks in the league. He also helped Emmitt Smith rush for over 100 yards many times. Allen missed games due to a knee injury. He returned later in the season.

Later Years with Cowboys

In 2000, Allen was chosen for his sixth straight Pro Bowl. He earned All-Pro honors. The offensive line allowed few sacks. Allen played all 16 games despite a fractured right hand. His blocking helped the offense gain many yards. He also helped Emmitt Smith rush for 150 yards against the Redskins.

In 2001, Allen was named All-Pro for the seventh year in a row. He was also chosen as a Pro Bowl starter. However, he could not play due to elbow surgery. He played a key role in the Cowboys being ranked third in the league for rushing yards. He helped Emmitt Smith get over 100 rushing yards multiple times.

The 2002 was challenging for Allen due to injuries. He had shoulder surgery before the season. He also had an ankle sprain. This limited him to only five starts. He was placed on injured reserve and had surgery on his ankle.

In 2003, Allen returned after missing most of the previous season. He started all 16 regular-season games. He was chosen for his eighth Pro Bowl. He played through several minor injuries. He helped the Cowboys offense gain many yards and protect the quarterback.

In 2004, Allen started all 16 games. He was chosen for his ninth Pro Bowl. His blocking helped the Cowboys offense gain over 400 yards in some games. He also helped Julius Jones rush for many yards. Jones had one of the best rushing games in Cowboys history with Allen's help.

In 2005, Allen was chosen for his 10th Pro Bowl. He played every offensive snap for the Cowboys. He helped the offense gain many yards. His blocking allowed Drew Bledsoe to pass for over 300 yards. He also helped Marion Barber III and Julius Jones rush for over 100 yards. During the Pro Bowl weekend in 2006, he won ESPN's "Strongest Man Award." He did this by bench pressing 225 pounds 43 times. On March 21, 2006, the Dallas Cowboys released Larry Allen. He had spent 12 seasons with the team.

San Francisco 49ers

Allen (#71), blocking Jamal Williams at the 2007 Pro Bowl.

In 2006, Allen signed with the San Francisco 49ers. He changed his jersey number from 73 to 71. He played in 11 games and missed five due to a knee injury. He was voted to his 11th Pro Bowl. He helped RB Frank Gore set a team record with 1,695 rushing yards. Allen helped the offensive line block for Gore's amazing performances. In one game, Gore rushed for a franchise record 212 yards. The 49ers had 262 total rushing yards in that game. Allen also successfully defended his "Strongest Man Award" title at the 2007 Pro Bowl.

In 2007, Allen started all 16 games at left guard. He was also voted as an alternate for the Pro Bowl.

Retirement and Legacy

On August 29, 2009, Larry Allen signed a special one-day contract with the Dallas Cowboys. This allowed him to retire as a Cowboy. The next day, he was officially placed on the retired list.

Allen was chosen for the NFL's All-Decade Team for both the 1990s and the 2000s. Many people consider him one of the best offensive linemen ever. He was also known as one of the strongest players in the game. In his 14 NFL seasons, he was chosen for the Pro Bowl 11 times. He was also named All-Pro seven times. He played almost every position on the offensive line during his career.

On November 6, 2011, Allen was inducted into the prestigious Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor. This happened during a Cowboys-Seahawks game. On February 2, 2013, Allen was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones presented him at the induction ceremony.

Personal Life

After retiring, Larry Allen lived in Danville, California. His son, Larry Allen III, also played guard for the Harvard Crimson football team. He later signed with the Dallas Cowboys in 2019. His nephew, Dakarai Allen, is a professional basketball player.

Larry Allen passed away on June 2, 2024. He was 52 years old and was on vacation with his family in Mexico. The cause of his death is not yet known.

See also

In Spanish: Larry Allen para niños