In today’s era of the quarterback-driven National Football League, it appears that one of the newest members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame was way ahead of his time.
You see, it was a “throw” during Larry Allen’s rookie season with the Dallas Cowboys that garnered him a lot of national attention…whether he wanted to or not.
Of course, not all publicity is good publicity. On Thanksgiving Day in 1994 at Texas Stadium against the Green Bay Packers, Allen found himself matched up against Packers defensive end Reggie White.
In what eventually proved to be a 42-31 victory by the Cowboys that afternoon (behind quarterback and now current head coach Jason Garrett), Allen was pressed into duty at right tackle as Erik Williams was unavailable.
On one particular play, the Pro Football Hall of Fame defender “tossed” Allen aside like leftover stuffing. The rookie offensive lineman had gotten a taste of greatness.
But it also didn’t take long for the second-round pick from Sonoma State to establish his own legacy. In his second season, he was a Pro Bowl guard for the Cowboys. It would the first of 10 such selections for the versatile Allen during his days with the Cowboys from 1994-2005.
He also paved the way for Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s all-time leader in rushing attempts and carries, for many seasons and was a part of Dallas’ Super Bowl XXX championship club in 1995.
So dominant for so long was Allen that he was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Teams of the 1990s and 2000s. And combined with the likes of tackles Mark Tuinei, Erik Williams and Flozell Adams, guard Nate Newton and centers Mark Stepnoski and Ray Donaldson (just to name a few of his talented line mates), the Cowboys’ offensive front was annually one of the best in the league.
Allen, a Los Angeles native, would return to the west coast for his final two seasons in the league (2006-07) as a member of the rival San Francisco 49ers. He would be named to his 11th Pro Bowl in ’06 and played his final season in 2007.
Now nearly 20 years since he was thrown aside by the great White on Turkey Day, Larry Allen will join the legendary defender in Canton, Ohio. And it is likely that one of the newest members of the Hall is more than happy to finally be on the same team with one of the all-time greats.
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