Larry Allen
Encyclopedia
Larry Christopher Allen, Sr. (born November 27, 1971) is a former American football
guard
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys
in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Sonoma State.
An 11-time Pro Bowl
selection, Allen played 12 seasons with the Cowboys and earned a Super Bowl ring
with the team after a 27-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers
in Super Bowl XXX
. He played his final two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers
before signing a one-day contract with the Dallas Cowboys, allowing him to retire with the organization that drafted him, prior to the 2008
regular season. In his career, he played in more Pro Bowls than any other Dallas Cowboys offensive player in franchise history.
At 6 ft 3 in tall and weighing 325 pounds, Allen is regarded as possibly one of the physically strongest men to have ever played in the NFL, having recorded a bench press
of 692 lb.
in Napa, California
but did not graduate. As a freshman at Centennial Senior High in Compton, California
, he lettered
in football.
in Oroville, California
. He played two years at Butte. Butte went 10-1 while winning the Golden Valley Conference both years. Larry was named to the All-Conference and All-State teams both years. He 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 at Sonoma State, Allen gave up just one sack
. The Cossacks were primarily a passing team and established 10 new school records, including most yards gained, most touchdown
passes, best gain-per-completion and highest passing efficiency. During his senior season, Sonoma State set a mark with 334 rushing yards against Cal-State Hayward. Allen also participated in the East-West Shrine Game
, Senior Bowl
and was a two-time All-America
selection. Also, he was the first player from Sonoma State University to be drafted in the NFL.
, Allen was the tenth offensive lineman selected in the draft and the first player ever drafted from Sonoma State. He was selected in the second round (46th overall), which marked the first time since 1981
that Dallas had taken an offensive lineman that high in the draft.
, 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 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 starting just four games into his rookie season when Mark Tuinei
suffered back spasm
s 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 (Mark) 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, (Erik) Williams was injured in automobile accident and was out for the rest of the season. After which, Allen was moved into the starting line-up at (Erik) Williams’s right tackle position permanently beginning at the Cincinnati Bengals
on October 30). He received game ball, along with (Mark) 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. The announcers were talking 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. Allen sprained his left ankle
during the game, however he returned to play. In the NFC Championship Game
at San Francisco 49ers
, he struggled playing through three quarters on his injured ankle before leaving the game.
In 1995
, Allen, while earning his first
of seven consecutive trips to the Pro Bowl
, was one of a club-record four Dallas offensive linemen named to the Pro Bowl, Ray Donaldson
, Nate Newton
, and Mark Tuinei being the others, after just one year of experience as a starting guard. The team finished fifth in the league in total offense while Emmitt Smith
gained a franchise record 1,773 rushing yards, his fourth NFL rushing title in five years. Smith also scored a then NFL record 25 rushing touchdowns.
Allen made first NFL start at right guard in the season opener at the Meadowlands
against the New York Giants
on September 4, helping the Dallas offense record 459 yards including 230 rushing yards. In the regular-season finale on the road against the Cardinals on Christmas Day, the offensive line enabled Dallas to record 474 yards of total offense for most yardage by Cowboys team since September 15, 1985. On January 28, 1996, Allen earned his first start in a Super Bowl
as well as his first and only Super Bowl ring
when the Cowboys defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers
27-17 in Super Bowl XXX
.
In 1996
, Allen earned a second consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl
, along with earning consensus All-Pro and All-NFC
honors. The Dallas offensive line led league by allowing just 19 sacks, one shy of the team record set the previous year. For the third consecutive season behind Allen, Emmitt Smith ran for over 1,200 yards while passing 100 rushing yards four times, including a season-high 155 yards and three touchdowns against the Redskins on November 28.
In 1997
, Allen, despite being moved between guard and tackle during the season, was selected to his third consecutive Pro Bowl
at guard and earned first-team All-Pro honors. He also spent part of training camp working at left tackle and returned to his right guard position for the first 13 games of season.
He started his third season at right guard at Pittsburgh and helped Dallas gain 380 total yards, including 295 passing yards while not allowing a sack. He left the September 15 win over the Philadelphia Eagles
after suffering a strained left hamstring
in the second quarter and did not return. He returned to the starting lineup following the bye week against the Chicago Bears
on September 28, but was forced to leave in the second quarter without enough strength in his left leg to block effectively. He was once again back in the starting lineup the following week at the Giants. He was then forced to move out to left tackle after the loss of Mark Tuinei in Washington on October 13. Allen remained at left tackle in third down passing situations against the Eagles and Redskins on October 26 and November 16. He became a full-time starter at left tackle against the upstart Carolina Panthers
on December 8, and remained there the final three weeks of the season.
In 1998
, Allen was slated to start at the left tackle position from day one of the season after starting final three games of 1997 at left tackle. In his first full season guarding Troy Aikman
’s blindside
, he earned consensus All-Pro and All-NFC honors. He became just the third player in league history to be selected to the Pro Bowl at more than one offensive line position when peers voted him to NFC Pro Bowl
team at tackle. He earned recognition as part of an offensive line that allowed just 19 sacks for 110 yards in 493 pass plays for a season, the fewest in NFL. His blocking helped Emmitt Smith to record seven 100-yard rushing games and 1,332 yards on the season.
He debuted at his new position in the season opener against the Arizona Cardinals
and helped Dallas gain 444 total yards (188 rushing), both totals were the teams highest since 1996. He helped lead way as two running backs topped 100-yard mark for just the third time in franchise history at Washington on October 4, (Emmitt) Smith finished with 120 yards and one touchdown while Chris Warren recorded 104 yards and two touchdowns. In November, he faced four of the NFC’s top defensive end
s in Hugh Douglas, Chad Bratzke
, Simeon Rice
, and John Randle
. Allen's streak started at Philadelphia on November 2, when he limited (Hugh) Douglas to one tackle and no sacks. The following week against the Giants and (Chad) Bratzke, his blocking helped Emmitt Smith rush for 163 yards on 29 carries, a 5.6 average. The Dallas offensive line allowed no sacks to the Giants defense that led NFL in sacks in 1998. In Arizona, Allen limited (Simeon) Rice to one tackle and was part of an offensive line that allowed no sacks to the Cardinals defense as well. He led the way for (Emmitt) Smith’s 118 rushing yards and three touchdowns. The Seattle Seahawks
had the AFC’s top sacking defense of 1998 (11 sacks for 22 yards) and came away with just one sack (on an (Troy) Aikman fumble), while the Cowboys ran for 173 yards. He also limited (John) Randle to one tackle and no sacks in 81 offensive plays against the Minnesota Vikings
on November 26. He also helped set a new franchise record for pass attempts in a game without a sack (57) and led the way as (Emmitt) Smith rushed for three touchdowns to tie Marcus Allen
’s NFL record of 123 career rushing touchdowns. In the regular season finale against the Redskins
on December 27, Allen was part of an offensive line that saw Smith run for two more touchdowns to break NFL’s all-time rushing touchdown record.
In 1999
, despite starting in his third offensive line position in as many years and missing five games due to injury, Allen was selected to his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl
while earning consensus All-Pro honors at guard.
Allen earned recognition as part of an offensive line that allowed the second-fewest sacks (24) in the league, behind Indianapolis
who allowed just 14, and one-or-fewer sacks in nine-of-16 games. He helped lead the way as the Cowboys gained 541 total yards while giving up only one sack in 50 pass plays in first career start at left guard at Washington on September 12. He helped lead the way as Emmitt Smith
became just third player in last 29 games to rush for over 100 yards against the Atlanta Falcons
on September 20, when he rushed for 109 yards. Allen's blocking helped the Cowboys offensive line allow only one sack in 40 pass plays in Philadelphia
on October 10. He gave up no sacks on 32 pass plays, to the Redskins on October 24. His blocking helped Smith to rush for 140 yards and two touchdowns in the first half as the Dallas offense recorded 205 rushing yards in Minnesota on November 8. Allen helped the Cowboys running backs record 149 yards before leaving game in third quarter with sprained medial collateral ligament
(MCL) in his right knee
against the Packers
on November 14. He missed the his first career game in Arizona on November 21, snapping strings of 97 consecutive games played and 90 consecutive starts. He missed the next four games with a sprained knee. He returned to the starting lineup in New Orleans
on Christmas Eve
and helped the Cowboys offensive line give up no sacks on 39 pass plays while helping (Emmitt) Smith to rush for his eighth 100-yard game of the season. In the season finale against the Giants
on New Years Day, he helped block for (Emmitt) Smith as he recorded his ninth 100-yard game of the season. Allen was also part of an offensive line that did not allow a sack in 33 pass plays during the game. In the NFC Wild Card Playoff Game in Minnesota on January 9, he opened holes for (Emmitt) Smith to rush for 99 yards, including a Dallas postseason record 65-yarder.
, Allen was selected to his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl
and earned consensus All-Pro and All-NFC honors. He was part of an offensive line unit that allowed just 35 sacks in 480 pass plays on the season. Six times during the season, opponents were held to one sack-or-less.
Despite suffering a fracture
d right hand in practice on June 20, Allen returned to play by the end of the preseason and started all 16 games. His blocking helped limit the Cardinals to one sack while protecting Randall Cunningham
as he completed 24-of-34 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns on September 10. His blocking against Arizona on October 22 was key to the offense as it recorded 347 total yards, including 200 rushing yards. He allowed just one sack. He helped limit Warren Sapp
to two tackles for the game in Tampa Bay
, on December 3, while the entire Tampa Bay starting defensive line was limited to six tackles. He was also part of an offensive line that helped (Emmitt) Smith rush for 150 yards and a touchdown against the Redskins and the NFL’s fourth ranked defense on December 10. The Cowboys rushed for 242 yards against the Redskins for most by Dallas offense since recording 271 rushing yards in Philadelphia on Halloween
1993.
In 2001
, Allen was named All-Pro by the Associated Press
for the seventh consecutive season. He was also named a Pro Bowl
starter at guard. However, he was unable to attend the game in Hawaii
due to elbow
surgery that was performed after the season ended. Marked seventh consecutive Pro Bowl selection.
Allen played a key role in Dallas’ third rank in the league in rushing at 136.5 yards-per-game. The season rushing total of 2,184 yards was the second-best total by a Cowboys team in last 20 years (1995, 2,201). He helped limit All-Pro DT (Warren) Sapp to one tackle and no sacks in the season opener against the Buccaneers, also helping the Cowboys offense rush for 99 yards on 23 carries, a 4.3 average. He led the way for Emmitt Smith
to his first 100-yard rushing game of the season, 107 yards, and offense to 211 total rushing yards in the Cowboys Monday night
win over the Redskins
on October 15. He played a part in helping Troy Hambrick
gain 127 rushing yards as well as Michael Wiley gain 85 en route to the Cowboys gaining 207 rushing yards (6.3 avg.) at Atlanta
on November 11. He played a key role in Dallas' 20-14 win over the Redskins on December 2, as the Cowboys recorded their third 200-plus yard rushing game of the season as the team rushed the ball 44 times for 215 yards, a 4.9 average, including 102 yards by (Emmitt) Smith.
In 2002
, Allen had a challenging season due to injuries. He played through off-season surgery and a nagging early season ankle sprain that limited him to five starts on the season between left guard and right tackle. Due to his off-season rotator cuff
surgery on his left shoulder, and was limited in training camp and played in just the final two preseason games. He was selected as an offensive captain by his teammates, entering the regular season.
Allen sprained his left ankle in the second quarter against the Tennessee Titans
on September 15. He attempted to return in the second half but lasted just two plays before returning to the sideline. He was inactive at Philadelphia on September 22, due to his ankle injury. He moved to right tackle during practice the week leading up to St. Louis Rams
game on September 29, and opened the game at that position before re-aggravating his sprained left ankle. He then left the game in the first quarter. He returned to the starting lineup at right tackle against the New York Giants
on October 6, but came out during first drive after aggravating left ankle. He fought the pain and was in and out of the game in the second half at left guard for Kelvin Garmon
who suffered a hip injury. Following the trade of (Kelvin) Garmon to the Chargers
, Allen returned to left guard against the Panthers
on October 13, but left the game in the second quarter with an ankle pain. He was then inactive next the three games to let the injury heal. He returned to practice the week against the Colts
on November 17 but was inactive for a fourth straight game. He was placed on injured reserve
on November 21, and underwent successful surgery on December 3, to remove bone spur
s from left ankle
.
In 2003
, Allen returned after missing most of the 2002 season with a sprained left ankle that required off-season surgery to remove bone spurs. He returned and started all 16 regular season games and the playoff game at Carolina on January 3. Despite missing parts of four games with injuries, he returned and was honored for play with eighth Pro Bowl
selection at guard.
He began the season by straining his hamstring
during practice four days before the season opener. However he still started against the Falcons, but aggravated his hamstring in the second quarter and sat out remainder of half before coming back for the second half as offense recorded 403 total yards. He played at the New York Giants on September 15, and helped protect Quincy Carter
, allowing him to throw for 321 yards in leading Dallas to a come-from-behind overtime
win. He suffered a sprained left knee
in the second quarter against the Cardinals
on October 5, but returned in the second half to help Dallas total 365 yards of offense. Despite playing sporadically against the Washington on November 2, due to a sprained left knee suffered in the first quarter, he helped the Cowboys record 400 yards of total offense, including 208 rushing yards. Allen also helped hold DT Kris Jenkins
to zero sacks, while the Dallas line allowed only one sack for zero yards in 45 pass plays against the Panthers on November 23. He also helped lead way for Troy Hambrick to run for 189 yards against the Redskins on December 14.
In 2004
, Allen started all 16 games for the eighth time in 11 NFL seasons, and for the ninth time, he was an NFC Pro Bowl
selection at guard.
In the season opener in Minnesota
, Allen’s blocking helped the Cowboys offense record 423 yards of total offense. In the home opening win over the Cleveland Browns
on September 19, the Cowboys recorded a season-high 441 total yards, and Vinny Testaverde
passed for 322 yards with only one sack in 36 passes. The Cowboys also rushed for 126 yards. He helped the Cowboys record 166 rushing yards for the game against the Giants on October 10. On Thanksgiving Day, in a win over Chicago
, he was part of a line that led the way for Julius Jones
to rush for 150 yards. In a Monday night
win at Seattle
on December 6, the Cowboys offensive line’s blocking opened holes for (Julius) Jones to run for 198 yards, the third best rushing game in franchise history and the second best ever by a Cowboys rookie. In the season finale loss at the Giants, the Cowboys offensive line ended the season by opening holes for (Julius) Jones to rush the ball 29 times for 149 yards a 5.1 average and a touchdown.
In 2005
, Allen was selected to his 10th Pro Bowl
. He played every offensive snap for the Cowboys in 2005, starting all 16 games at left guard.
He started his 11th season as a full-time starter and his seventh consecutive season opener at left guard at San Diego
on September 11. He helped the Cowboys offense record 28 points and 301 yards of total offense. He started against the Eagles
on October 9, and helped the Cowboys offense record a season-high 456 yards of total offense. His blocking helped protect Drew Bledsoe
and allowed him to complete 26-of-37 passes for 312 yards against the Giants on October 16. Allen helped the Cowboys running backs record 164 yards averaging 4.2 yard-per-carry in Seattle on October 23. He helped lead way as Marion Barber III
rushed for 127 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries against the Cardinals on October 30. He was part of an offensive line that allowed (Drew) Bledsoe time to throw for 332 yards and three touchdowns while the running backs recorded 129 yards and a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs
on December 11, the 445 yards of total offense was the second-best of the season. His run blocking allowed Julius Jones to rush for 194 yards, the fourth best performance in franchise history in Carolina
on Christmas Eve
. The Cowboys' offense recorded 22 first downs, 394 total yards, including a season-high 214 rushing, and 24 points in the come-from-behind win. During the Pro Bowl weekend in Honolulu, Hawaii
, he won ESPN
's "Strongest Man Award" during the Pro Bowl
weekend in 2006 by bench pressing 43 reps with 225 pounds.
On March 21, 2006, Allen was released by the Dallas Cowboys, after spending his first 11 seasons with the organization.
, three days after being released by the Dallas Cowboys, Allen was signed by the San Francisco 49ers
as an unrestricted free agent. Along with changing teams, he also changed number, from the only number he had worn in his professional career, 73, to number 71. For the season, he played and started in 11 games and was inactive for five with sprained medial collateral ligament
(MCL). He was voted to his 11th career Pro Bowl
after blocking for RB
Frank Gore
’s franchise record 1,695 rushing yards on the season.
Allen started at left guard, but left the game due to a sprained medial collateral ligament suffered in the first quarter in Arizona on September 10, and was replaced by Tony Wragge
. He was then inactive for the next five weeks due to the sprained MCL. He returned to the starting lineup in Chicago on October 29. The entire offensive line was awarded game balls by Head Coach
Mike Nolan
, in part for their job blocking for the running back, who rushed for 198 yards against the Lions
on November 12. He started at left guard against the Seahawks on November 19, and played with an offensive line that blocked for Gore’s single-game franchise record 212 rushing yards. The 49ers accumulated 262 total rushing yards in the game, the eighth most in franchise history. The last time they rushed for that many yards was against Detroit on December 14, 1998, when they ran for a then-franchise-record 328 yards. Gore, who was awarded a game ball by Nolan, in turn gave game balls to the entire offensive line. Allen started at left guard in Seattle on December 14. In one of the best offensive line performances of the season, QB
Alex Smith
was not sacked once and the 49ers ran for 228 yards, 144 of which were by Gore. Allen was named as a reserve guard for the NFC in the Pro Bowl during the game week to mark his 11th Pro Bowl selection. He started in Denver
on New Years Eve and blocked for Frank Gore to break the 49ers franchise's single-season rushing record and franchise combined yardage record (2,180). During the Pro Bowl weekend he successfully defended his ESPN's "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 to the Pro Bowl
.
, he was named to the Pro Bowl 11 times, including his last as a 49er in 2006. He was also named All-Pro seven times, six times at guard (1995–1997, 1999–2001) and once at tackle (1998). With his Pro Bowl selection at tackle in 1998, he became just the third player in league history to be selected to the Pro Bowl at more than one offensive line position during his career, joining Bruce Matthews of the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans (guard/center) and Chris Hinton
of the Atlanta Falcons
/Indianapolis Colts
/Minnesota Vikings
(guard/tackle). He played all but one position along the offensive line in his 11 seasons in Dallas, moving between right tackle (1994), right guard (1995–1997), left tackle (1997–1998) and left guard (1999–2003).
During the half-time show of the Cowboys-Seahawks game, November 6, 2011, Allen, Drew Pearson
and Charles Haley
were inducted into the prestigious Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor
.
" project. In fall 2001, the entire offensive line helped paint a Dallas Cowboys Pegasus with children from The Rise School.
He is also married to his wife, Janelle. And they have two daughters, Jayla and Loriana, and one son, Larry, Jr.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft
1994 NFL Draft
The 1994 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24-25, 1994. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Sonoma State.
An 11-time Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection, Allen played 12 seasons with the Cowboys and earned a Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
with the team after a 27-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX was an American football game played on January 28, 1996 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona to decide the National Football League champion following the 1995 regular season...
. He played his final two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
before signing a one-day contract with the Dallas Cowboys, allowing him to retire with the organization that drafted him, prior to the 2008
2008 Dallas Cowboys season
The 2008 Dallas Cowboys season was the 49th season for the team in the National Football League. The season was most noted for week 17, when the Cowboys were blown out by the Philadelphia Eagles 44–6, their worst loss since the 1985 Chicago Bears came to Texas Stadium and beat the Cowboys 44–0...
regular season. In his career, he played in more Pro Bowls than any other Dallas Cowboys offensive player in franchise history.
At 6 ft 3 in tall and weighing 325 pounds, Allen is regarded as possibly one of the physically strongest men to have ever played in the NFL, having recorded a bench press
Bench press
The bench press is an exercise of the upper body. For bodybuilding purposes, it is used to stimulate the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. While on his or her back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight...
of 692 lb.
Early years
Allen attended a different school each of four years of high school. He finished from Vintage High SchoolVintage High School
Vintage High School is a comprehensive high school with a student body of over 2,300. It is one of three comprehensive high schools in the Napa Valley Unified School District. The other comprehensive high schools are Napa High School and American Canyon High School...
in Napa, California
Napa, California
-History:The name Napa was probably derived from the name given to a southern Nappan village whose people shared the area with elk, deer, grizzlies and cougars for many centuries, according to Napa historian Kami Santiago. At the time of the first recorded exploration into Napa Valley in 1823, the...
but did not graduate. As a freshman at Centennial Senior High in Compton, California
Compton, California
Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city of Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city to incorporate. The city is considered part of the South side by residents of Los...
, he lettered
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
in football.
College career
Allen originally attended Butte CollegeButte College
Butte College is a community college in the Butte - Glenn Community College District which is located in northern California between the towns of Chico, Oroville and Paradise, approximately 80 miles north of the state capital...
in Oroville, California
Oroville, California
Oroville is the county seat of Butte County, California. The population was 15,506 at the 2010 census, up from 13,004 at the 2000 census...
. He played two years at Butte. Butte went 10-1 while winning the Golden Valley Conference both years. Larry was named to the All-Conference and All-State teams both years. He 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 at Sonoma State, Allen gave up just one sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
. The Cossacks were primarily a passing team and established 10 new school records, including most yards gained, most touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
passes, best gain-per-completion and highest passing efficiency. During his senior season, Sonoma State set a mark with 334 rushing yards against Cal-State Hayward. Allen also participated in the East-West Shrine Game
East-West Shrine Game
The East–West Shrine Game is an annual post-season college football all-star game played each January since 1925. The game is sponsored by the fraternal group Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the net proceeds are earmarked to some of the Shrine's charitable works, most notably the Shriners...
, Senior Bowl
Senior Bowl
The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played in Mobile, Alabama which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility. First played in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida, the game moved to Mobile's Ladd Peebles Stadium...
and was a two-time All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
selection. Also, he was the first player from Sonoma State University to be drafted in the NFL.
NFL Draft
In the 1994 NFL Draft1994 NFL Draft
The 1994 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24-25, 1994. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
, Allen was the tenth offensive lineman selected in the draft and the first player ever drafted from Sonoma State. He was selected in the second round (46th overall), which marked the first time since 1981
1981 NFL Draft
The 1981 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 28–29, 1981...
that Dallas had taken an offensive lineman that high in the draft.
1990s
In 19941994 Dallas Cowboys season
The 1994 Dallas Cowboys season would mark their 35th in the NFL. Following their second Super Bowl title, the Cowboys would see a multitude of changes. In March, months of frustration finally reached its climax as team owner Jerry Jones and head coach Jimmy Johnson held a press conference and...
, Allen started 10 regular season games rotating between guard and tackle. During the season he tied Burton Lawless
Burton Lawless
Richard Burton Lawless is a former American college and professional football player who was an offensive lineman in the National Football League for six seasons during the 1970s and 1980s...
in 1975
1975 NFL season
The 1975 NFL season was the 56th regular season of the National Football League. It was also the first time that featured an entire season with no games ending in a tie. The league made two significant changes to increase the appeal of the game:...
and Kevin Gogan
Kevin Gogan
Kevin Patrick Gogan is a former professional American football player who played guard for 14 seasons in the National Football League from 1987 to 2000...
in 1987
1987 NFL season
The 1987 NFL season was the 68th regular season of the National Football League. A 24-day players' strike reduced the 16-game season to 15. The games that were scheduled for the third week of the season were canceled, but the games for weeks 4–6 were played with replacement players...
, for the most starts on the offensive line as rookie in club history at the time, Flozell Adams
Flozell Adams
Flozell "The Hotel" Adams is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan State....
broke the record in 1998
1998 NFL season
The 1998 NFL season was the 79th regular season of the National Football League.The Tennessee Oilers moved their home games from Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis to Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, still awaiting construction on a new stadium in Nashville.This was the first season that CBS...
. 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 starting just four games into his rookie season when Mark Tuinei
Mark Tuinei
Mark Pulemau Tuinei was an American football offensive tackle in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys...
suffered back spasm
Spasm
In medicine a spasm is a sudden, involuntary contraction of a muscle, a group of muscles, or a hollow organ, or a similarly sudden contraction of an orifice. It is sometimes accompanied by a sudden burst of pain, but is usually harmless and ceases after a few minutes...
s on the road against the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. 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 (Mark) Tuinei against the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. This marked the first time a rookie offensive lineman had started for Dallas since November 24, 1991 when Erik Williams
Erik Williams
Erik George Williams is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League who played most of his career with the Dallas Cowboys . He played college football at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, where he was an NAIA All-American offensive lineman. Williams was...
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, (Erik) Williams was injured in automobile accident and was out for the rest of the season. After which, Allen was moved into the starting line-up at (Erik) Williams’s right tackle position permanently beginning at the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
on October 30). He received game ball, along with (Mark) Tuinei, for helping hold the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
without a sack in a Monday night
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
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. The announcers were talking more about Allen's amazing feat, than the actual interception. In his first playoffs, Allen received the game ball against the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
on January 8, when the Dallas offense recorded 450 total yards and Troy Aikman
Troy Aikman
Troy Kenneth Aikman is a former American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. The number one overall draft pick in 1989, Aikman played twelve consecutive seasons as quarterback with the Cowboys...
completed 23-of-30 passes for 337 yards. Allen sprained his left ankle
Ankle
The ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot...
during the game, however he returned to play. In the NFC Championship Game
NFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
at San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, he struggled playing through three quarters on his injured ankle before leaving the game.
In 1995
1995 Dallas Cowboys season
The 1995 Dallas Cowboys season would mark their 36th in the NFL and final of the three Super Bowl titles they would win in the 1990s. Dallas would be the first team to ever win three Super Bowls in a span of four seasons...
, Allen, while earning his first
1996 Pro Bowl
The 1996 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 4, 1996 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was NFC 20, AFC 13. Jerry Rice of the San Francisco 49ers was the game's MVP after he had 2 clutch catches, including the final one which won the game. He finished with six catches for 82...
of seven consecutive trips to the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
, was one of a club-record four Dallas offensive linemen named to the Pro Bowl, Ray Donaldson
Ray Donaldson
Raymond Canute Donaldson is a former American football Center who played 17 seasons in the National Football League. He was selected to six Pro Bowls and then he played in Super Bowl XXX as a member of the Dallas Cowboys...
, Nate Newton
Nate Newton
Nathaniel Newton is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League who played for the Dallas Cowboys and the Carolina Panthers . He also played for the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League, in 1984 and 1985...
, and Mark Tuinei being the others, after just one year of experience as a starting guard. The team finished fifth in the league in total offense while Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
gained a franchise record 1,773 rushing yards, his fourth NFL rushing title in five years. Smith also scored a then NFL record 25 rushing touchdowns.
Allen made first NFL start at right guard in the season opener at the Meadowlands
Meadowlands Sports Complex
The MetLife Sports Complex is a sports and entertainment facility located in East Rutherford, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, owned and operated by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority...
against the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on September 4, helping the Dallas offense record 459 yards including 230 rushing yards. In the regular-season finale on the road against the Cardinals on Christmas Day, the offensive line enabled Dallas to record 474 yards of total offense for most yardage by Cowboys team since September 15, 1985. On January 28, 1996, Allen earned his first start in a Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
as well as his first and only Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
when the Cowboys defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
27-17 in Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX was an American football game played on January 28, 1996 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona to decide the National Football League champion following the 1995 regular season...
.
In 1996
1996 Dallas Cowboys season
-Regular season:Against the Chicago Bears in week one, running back Emmitt Smith would leave the game late with an injury that left him temporary paralyzed. Though not career-threatening, Smith's injury would hamper his effectiveness for the duration of the season...
, Allen earned a second consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl
1997 Pro Bowl
The 1997 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 2, 1997 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 26, NFC 23. Mark Brunell of the Jacksonville Jaguars was the game's MVP. In the game, Brunell threw for 236 yards...
, along with earning consensus All-Pro and All-NFC
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
honors. The Dallas offensive line led league by allowing just 19 sacks, one shy of the team record set the previous year. For the third consecutive season behind Allen, Emmitt Smith ran for over 1,200 yards while passing 100 rushing yards four times, including a season-high 155 yards and three touchdowns against the Redskins on November 28.
In 1997
1997 Dallas Cowboys season
The 1997 Dallas Cowboys season would mark their 38th in the NFL and for the first time since 1990, the team would suffer a losing season and miss the playoffs.-Regular season:...
, Allen, despite being moved between guard and tackle during the season, was selected to his third consecutive Pro Bowl
1998 Pro Bowl
The 1998 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 1, 1998 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 29, NFC 24. Warren Moon of the Seattle Seahawks, invited to participate because of an injury to John Elway, was the game's MVP. The referee was Gary Lane...
at guard and earned first-team All-Pro honors. He also spent part of training camp working at left tackle and returned to his right guard position for the first 13 games of season.
He started his third season at right guard at Pittsburgh and helped Dallas gain 380 total yards, including 295 passing yards while not allowing a sack. He left the September 15 win over the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
after suffering a strained left hamstring
Hamstring
In human anatomy, the hamstring refers to any one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the...
in the second quarter and did not return. He returned to the starting lineup following the bye week against the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on September 28, but was forced to leave in the second quarter without enough strength in his left leg to block effectively. He was once again back in the starting lineup the following week at the Giants. He was then forced to move out to left tackle after the loss of Mark Tuinei in Washington on October 13. Allen remained at left tackle in third down passing situations against the Eagles and Redskins on October 26 and November 16. He became a full-time starter at left tackle against the upstart Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
on December 8, and remained there the final three weeks of the season.
In 1998
1998 Dallas Cowboys season
The 1998 Dallas Cowboys season would mark their 39th in the NFL and team owner Jerry Jones would hire former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Chan Gailey to be the fourth head coach of the Dallas Cowboys franchise.-Regular season:...
, Allen was slated to start at the left tackle position from day one of the season after starting final three games of 1997 at left tackle. In his first full season guarding Troy Aikman
Troy Aikman
Troy Kenneth Aikman is a former American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. The number one overall draft pick in 1989, Aikman played twelve consecutive seasons as quarterback with the Cowboys...
’s blindside
Blindside
Blindside is a post-hardcore band from Tumba, Sweden. They formed in 1994 as Underfree and kept that name for two years before releasing their debut EP in 1996.-A Thought Crushed My Mind:...
, he earned consensus All-Pro and All-NFC honors. He became just the third player in league history to be selected to the Pro Bowl at more than one offensive line position when peers voted him to NFC Pro Bowl
1999 Pro Bowl
The 1999 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 7, 1999 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 23, NFC 10. Keyshawn Johnson of the New York Jets and Ty Law of the New England Patriots were the game's MVPs. This game was also the last game in the career of Denver Broncos...
team at tackle. He earned recognition as part of an offensive line that allowed just 19 sacks for 110 yards in 493 pass plays for a season, the fewest in NFL. His blocking helped Emmitt Smith to record seven 100-yard rushing games and 1,332 yards on the season.
He debuted at his new position in the season opener against the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and helped Dallas gain 444 total yards (188 rushing), both totals were the teams highest since 1996. He helped lead way as two running backs topped 100-yard mark for just the third time in franchise history at Washington on October 4, (Emmitt) Smith finished with 120 yards and one touchdown while Chris Warren recorded 104 yards and two touchdowns. In November, he faced four of the NFC’s top defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
s in Hugh Douglas, Chad Bratzke
Chad Bratzke
Chad Alan Bratzke is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League.-College career:...
, Simeon Rice
Simeon Rice
Simeon James Rice [] is a former American football defensive end, last playing in 2009. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals third overall in the 1996 NFL Draft...
, and John Randle
John Randle
John Anthony Randle played defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings and the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL. On February 6, 2010 he was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Born in Mumford, Texas, Randle was raised poor, and worked odd jobs when he was young. His brother Ervin Randle played as...
. Allen's streak started at Philadelphia on November 2, when he limited (Hugh) Douglas to one tackle and no sacks. The following week against the Giants and (Chad) Bratzke, his blocking helped Emmitt Smith rush for 163 yards on 29 carries, a 5.6 average. The Dallas offensive line allowed no sacks to the Giants defense that led NFL in sacks in 1998. In Arizona, Allen limited (Simeon) Rice to one tackle and was part of an offensive line that allowed no sacks to the Cardinals defense as well. He led the way for (Emmitt) Smith’s 118 rushing yards and three touchdowns. The Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
had the AFC’s top sacking defense of 1998 (11 sacks for 22 yards) and came away with just one sack (on an (Troy) Aikman fumble), while the Cowboys ran for 173 yards. He also limited (John) Randle to one tackle and no sacks in 81 offensive plays against the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
on November 26. He also helped set a new franchise record for pass attempts in a game without a sack (57) and led the way as (Emmitt) Smith rushed for three touchdowns to tie Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen
Marcus LeMarr Allen is a former American football player and, until recently, was affiliated with CBS as a game analyst. As a professional, Allen ran for 12,243 yards and caught 587 passes for 5,412 yards during his career for both the Los Angeles Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs from 1982 to 1997...
’s NFL record of 123 career rushing touchdowns. In the regular season finale against the Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
on December 27, Allen was part of an offensive line that saw Smith run for two more touchdowns to break NFL’s all-time rushing touchdown record.
In 1999
1999 Dallas Cowboys season
-Regular season:The season would begin at Washington with a dramatic come-from-behind victory over the hated division rival Washington Redskins. After trailing by three touchdowns in the second half, free agent acquisition Rocket Ismail would pay immediate dividends for the team by hauling in the...
, despite starting in his third offensive line position in as many years and missing five games due to injury, Allen was selected to his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl
2000 Pro Bowl
The 2000 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 6, 2000 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii Attendance— 50,112. The game was broadcast by ABC with a running time of three hours and sixteen minutes. The final score was NFC 51, AFC 31. The AFC coach was Tom Coughlin of Jacksonville.The NFC coach...
while earning consensus All-Pro honors at guard.
Allen earned recognition as part of an offensive line that allowed the second-fewest sacks (24) in the league, behind Indianapolis
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
who allowed just 14, and one-or-fewer sacks in nine-of-16 games. He helped lead the way as the Cowboys gained 541 total yards while giving up only one sack in 50 pass plays in first career start at left guard at Washington on September 12. He helped lead the way as Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
became just third player in last 29 games to rush for over 100 yards against the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on September 20, when he rushed for 109 yards. Allen's blocking helped the Cowboys offensive line allow only one sack in 40 pass plays in Philadelphia
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on October 10. He gave up no sacks on 32 pass plays, to the Redskins on October 24. His blocking helped Smith to rush for 140 yards and two touchdowns in the first half as the Dallas offense recorded 205 rushing yards in Minnesota on November 8. Allen helped the Cowboys running backs record 149 yards before leaving game in third quarter with sprained medial collateral ligament
Medial collateral ligament
The medial collateral ligament of the knee is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial side of the knee joint in humans and other primates. It is also known as the tibial collateral ligament, or abbreviated as the MCL.- Structure :It is a broad, flat, membranous band,...
(MCL) in his right knee
Knee
The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...
against the Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
on November 14. He missed the his first career game in Arizona on November 21, snapping strings of 97 consecutive games played and 90 consecutive starts. He missed the next four games with a sprained knee. He returned to the starting lineup in New Orleans
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
and helped the Cowboys offensive line give up no sacks on 39 pass plays while helping (Emmitt) Smith to rush for his eighth 100-yard game of the season. In the season finale against the Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on New Years Day, he helped block for (Emmitt) Smith as he recorded his ninth 100-yard game of the season. Allen was also part of an offensive line that did not allow a sack in 33 pass plays during the game. In the NFC Wild Card Playoff Game in Minnesota on January 9, he opened holes for (Emmitt) Smith to rush for 99 yards, including a Dallas postseason record 65-yarder.
2000s
In 20002000 Dallas Cowboys season
The 2000 Dallas Cowboys season would mark their 41st in the NFL and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones would promote the team's long-time defensive coordinator, Dave Campo to be the fifth head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.-Offseason:...
, Allen was selected to his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl
2001 Pro Bowl
The 2001 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 4, 2001 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 38, NFC 17. Rich Gannon of the Oakland Raiders was the game's MVP.-Offense:-Defense:-Special teams:-Offense:-Defense:...
and earned consensus All-Pro and All-NFC honors. He was part of an offensive line unit that allowed just 35 sacks in 480 pass plays on the season. Six times during the season, opponents were held to one sack-or-less.
Despite suffering a fracture
Fracture
A fracture is the separation of an object or material into two, or more, pieces under the action of stress.The word fracture is often applied to bones of living creatures , or to crystals or crystalline materials, such as gemstones or metal...
d right hand in practice on June 20, Allen returned to play by the end of the preseason and started all 16 games. His blocking helped limit the Cardinals to one sack while protecting Randall Cunningham
Randall Cunningham
Randall W. Cunningham is a former American football quarterback.After playing college football at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he was selected in the second round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he remained through the 1995 season...
as he completed 24-of-34 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns on September 10. His blocking against Arizona on October 22 was key to the offense as it recorded 347 total yards, including 200 rushing yards. He allowed just one sack. He helped limit Warren Sapp
Warren Sapp
Warren Carlos Sapp is a retired American football player who played defensive tackle in the National Football League. He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders during his 13 year professional career, and college football for the University of Miami Hurricanes. He was then...
to two tackles for the game in Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
, on December 3, while the entire Tampa Bay starting defensive line was limited to six tackles. He was also part of an offensive line that helped (Emmitt) Smith rush for 150 yards and a touchdown against the Redskins and the NFL’s fourth ranked defense on December 10. The Cowboys rushed for 242 yards against the Redskins for most by Dallas offense since recording 271 rushing yards in Philadelphia on Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
1993.
In 2001
2001 Dallas Cowboys season
-Regular season:An eventful off-season created a lot buzz but little change in the Cowboys' fortunes. Franchise quarterback Troy Aikman, after suffering a pair of concussions the previous season, was released by the team...
, Allen was named All-Pro by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
for the seventh consecutive season. He was also named a Pro Bowl
2002 Pro Bowl
The 2002 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 9, 2002 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 38, NFC 30. Rich Gannon of the Oakland Raiders was the game's MVP.-Offense:-Defense:-Special teams:-Offense:-Defense:...
starter at guard. However, he was unable to attend the game in Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
due to elbow
Elbow
The human elbow is the region surrounding the elbow-joint—the ginglymus or hinge joint in the middle of the arm. Three bones form the elbow joint: the humerus of the upper arm, and the paired radius and ulna of the forearm....
surgery that was performed after the season ended. Marked seventh consecutive Pro Bowl selection.
Allen played a key role in Dallas’ third rank in the league in rushing at 136.5 yards-per-game. The season rushing total of 2,184 yards was the second-best total by a Cowboys team in last 20 years (1995, 2,201). He helped limit All-Pro DT (Warren) Sapp to one tackle and no sacks in the season opener against the Buccaneers, also helping the Cowboys offense rush for 99 yards on 23 carries, a 4.3 average. He led the way for Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
to his first 100-yard rushing game of the season, 107 yards, and offense to 211 total rushing yards in the Cowboys Monday night
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
win over the Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
on October 15. He played a part in helping Troy Hambrick
Troy Hambrick
Troy Hambrick is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He played for the Arizona Cardinals in 2004, and played for the Dallas Cowboys from 2000 to 2003. In his career, he has amassed 2,179 yards rushing and 276 yards receiving in 61 games played...
gain 127 rushing yards as well as Michael Wiley gain 85 en route to the Cowboys gaining 207 rushing yards (6.3 avg.) at Atlanta
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on November 11. He played a key role in Dallas' 20-14 win over the Redskins on December 2, as the Cowboys recorded their third 200-plus yard rushing game of the season as the team rushed the ball 44 times for 215 yards, a 4.9 average, including 102 yards by (Emmitt) Smith.
In 2002
2002 Dallas Cowboys season
-Offseason:Despite an off-season filled with promise, the season would again prove to be a disaster. Former Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator and head coach Bruce Coslet was brought in to run the offense for Dallas. Even though he was dismissed by Cincinnati, his history of high-powered...
, Allen had a challenging season due to injuries. He played through off-season surgery and a nagging early season ankle sprain that limited him to five starts on the season between left guard and right tackle. Due to his off-season rotator cuff
Rotator cuff
In anatomy, the rotator cuff is the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. The four muscles of the rotator cuff, along with the teres major muscle, the coracobrachialis muscle and the deltoid, make up the seven scapulohumeral muscles of the human body.-Function:The...
surgery on his left shoulder, and was limited in training camp and played in just the final two preseason games. He was selected as an offensive captain by his teammates, entering the regular season.
Allen sprained his left ankle in the second quarter against the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
on September 15. He attempted to return in the second half but lasted just two plays before returning to the sideline. He was inactive at Philadelphia on September 22, due to his ankle injury. He moved to right tackle during practice the week leading up to St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
game on September 29, and opened the game at that position before re-aggravating his sprained left ankle. He then left the game in the first quarter. He returned to the starting lineup at right tackle against the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on October 6, but came out during first drive after aggravating left ankle. He fought the pain and was in and out of the game in the second half at left guard for Kelvin Garmon
Kelvin Garmon
Kelvin Garmon is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft...
who suffered a hip injury. Following the trade of (Kelvin) Garmon to the Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Allen returned to left guard against the Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
on October 13, but left the game in the second quarter with an ankle pain. He was then inactive next the three games to let the injury heal. He returned to practice the week against the Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
on November 17 but was inactive for a fourth straight game. He was placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
on November 21, and underwent successful surgery on December 3, to remove bone spur
Bone spur
Osteophytes, commonly referred to as bone spurs, are bony projections that form along joint margins. They should not be confused with enthesophytes, which are bony projections which form at the attachment of a tendon or ligament.-Pathophysiology:...
s from left ankle
Ankle
The ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot...
.
In 2003
2003 Dallas Cowboys season
2003 marked the 44th season for the Dallas Cowboys organization as the team, coming off three consecutive 5–11 seasons, hired former New York Giants and New England Patriots coach Bill Parcells....
, Allen returned after missing most of the 2002 season with a sprained left ankle that required off-season surgery to remove bone spurs. He returned and started all 16 regular season games and the playoff game at Carolina on January 3. Despite missing parts of four games with injuries, he returned and was honored for play with eighth Pro Bowl
2004 Pro Bowl
The 2004 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 8, 2004 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was NFC 55, AFC 52, the most points scored in a Pro Bowl game. Marc Bulger of the St. Louis Rams was the game's MVP.-Game summary:...
selection at guard.
He began the season by straining his hamstring
Hamstring
In human anatomy, the hamstring refers to any one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the...
during practice four days before the season opener. However he still started against the Falcons, but aggravated his hamstring in the second quarter and sat out remainder of half before coming back for the second half as offense recorded 403 total yards. He played at the New York Giants on September 15, and helped protect Quincy Carter
Quincy Carter
Lavonya Quintelle "Quincy" Carter is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys...
, allowing him to throw for 321 yards in leading Dallas to a come-from-behind overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
win. He suffered a sprained left knee
Knee
The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...
in the second quarter against the Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on October 5, but returned in the second half to help Dallas total 365 yards of offense. Despite playing sporadically against the Washington on November 2, due to a sprained left knee suffered in the first quarter, he helped the Cowboys record 400 yards of total offense, including 208 rushing yards. Allen also helped hold DT Kris Jenkins
Kris Jenkins
Kristopher Rudy-Charles Jenkins is a former American football nose tackle who played for the Carolina Panthers and New York Jets of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
to zero sacks, while the Dallas line allowed only one sack for zero yards in 45 pass plays against the Panthers on November 23. He also helped lead way for Troy Hambrick to run for 189 yards against the Redskins on December 14.
In 2004
2004 Dallas Cowboys season
Even before 2004 season began, the Cowboys would face adversity and be forced to adjust. Coming off their first winning season in 5 years, the team, under Bill Parcells direction, would continue to bring in veteran talent and draft promising prospects. In the off-season, the Cowboys would sign...
, Allen started all 16 games for the eighth time in 11 NFL seasons, and for the ninth time, he was an NFC Pro Bowl
2005 Pro Bowl
The 2005 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played February 13, 2005 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 38 - NFC 27. The most valuable player was Peyton Manning of the Colts. The game holds the record as the latest Pro Bowl played during the calendar year.-Game summary:The game...
selection at guard.
In the season opener in Minnesota
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, Allen’s blocking helped the Cowboys offense record 423 yards of total offense. In the home opening win over the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on September 19, the Cowboys recorded a season-high 441 total yards, and Vinny Testaverde
Vinny Testaverde
Vincent Frank Testaverde is a former NFL quarterback. Testaverde last played for the Carolina Panthers and had previously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. Testaverde holds the NFL record for having...
passed for 322 yards with only one sack in 36 passes. The Cowboys also rushed for 126 yards. He helped the Cowboys record 166 rushing yards for the game against the Giants on October 10. On Thanksgiving Day, in a win over Chicago
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, he was part of a line that led the way for Julius Jones
Julius Jones
Julius Andre Maurice Jones is an American football running back who played college football at the University of Notre Dame and is currently a member of the Free Agent Class of the National Football League. Before signing with the Saints on October 12, 2010, Julius had stints with the Dallas...
to rush for 150 yards. In a Monday night
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
win at Seattle
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
on December 6, the Cowboys offensive line’s blocking opened holes for (Julius) Jones to run for 198 yards, the third best rushing game in franchise history and the second best ever by a Cowboys rookie. In the season finale loss at the Giants, the Cowboys offensive line ended the season by opening holes for (Julius) Jones to rush the ball 29 times for 149 yards a 5.1 average and a touchdown.
In 2005
2005 Dallas Cowboys season
The 2005 Dallas Cowboys season began with the team trying to improve on their 6–10 record in 2004. Despite a 7–3 start, the Cowboys ended the season with a 9–7 record and narrowly missed the playoffs.-Offseason:...
, Allen was selected to his 10th Pro Bowl
2006 Pro Bowl
The 2006 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 12, 2006 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. It marked the 27th consecutive time that the National Football League's all-star game was held in Honolulu...
. He played every offensive snap for the Cowboys in 2005, starting all 16 games at left guard.
He started his 11th season as a full-time starter and his seventh consecutive season opener at left guard at San Diego
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on September 11. He helped the Cowboys offense record 28 points and 301 yards of total offense. He started against the Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on October 9, and helped the Cowboys offense record a season-high 456 yards of total offense. His blocking helped protect Drew Bledsoe
Drew Bledsoe
Drew McQueen Bledsoe is a former football quarterback in the National Football League, best known as the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots from 1993-2001. During the 1990s, he was considered the face of the Patriots franchise...
and allowed him to complete 26-of-37 passes for 312 yards against the Giants on October 16. Allen helped the Cowboys running backs record 164 yards averaging 4.2 yard-per-carry in Seattle on October 23. He helped lead way as Marion Barber III
Marion Barber III
Marion Sylvester Barber III is an American football running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Minnesota....
rushed for 127 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries against the Cardinals on October 30. He was part of an offensive line that allowed (Drew) Bledsoe time to throw for 332 yards and three touchdowns while the running backs recorded 129 yards and a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
on December 11, the 445 yards of total offense was the second-best of the season. His run blocking allowed Julius Jones to rush for 194 yards, the fourth best performance in franchise history in Carolina
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
. The Cowboys' offense recorded 22 first downs, 394 total yards, including a season-high 214 rushing, and 24 points in the come-from-behind win. During the Pro Bowl weekend in Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
, he won ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's "Strongest Man Award" during the Pro Bowl
2005 Pro Bowl
The 2005 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played February 13, 2005 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 38 - NFC 27. The most valuable player was Peyton Manning of the Colts. The game holds the record as the latest Pro Bowl played during the calendar year.-Game summary:The game...
weekend in 2006 by bench pressing 43 reps with 225 pounds.
On March 21, 2006, Allen was released by the Dallas Cowboys, after spending his first 11 seasons with the organization.
San Francisco 49ers
In 20062006 San Francisco 49ers season
The 2006 San Francisco 49ers season began with the team trying to improve on their 4-12 record in 2005. Despite having improved from their previous two disastrous seasons and were in the top 10 best offense in the league in 2006 ,they missed the playoffs for the fourth straight year, continuing...
, three days after being released by the Dallas Cowboys, Allen was signed by the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
as an unrestricted free agent. Along with changing teams, he also changed number, from the only number he had worn in his professional career, 73, to number 71. For the season, he played and started in 11 games and was inactive for five with sprained medial collateral ligament
Medial collateral ligament
The medial collateral ligament of the knee is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial side of the knee joint in humans and other primates. It is also known as the tibial collateral ligament, or abbreviated as the MCL.- Structure :It is a broad, flat, membranous band,...
(MCL). He was voted to his 11th career Pro Bowl
2007 Pro Bowl
The 2007 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl took place on February 10, 2007, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game was held on a Saturday instead of the usual Sunday after the Super Bowl because of a request by broadcaster CBS....
after blocking for RB
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Frank Gore
Frank Gore
Franklin Gore is an American football running back who plays for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Miami. NFL Network analysts have nicknamed Gore "The Inconvenient Truth".-High school career:Gore attended Coral Gables High...
’s franchise record 1,695 rushing yards on the season.
Allen started at left guard, but left the game due to a sprained medial collateral ligament suffered in the first quarter in Arizona on September 10, and was replaced by Tony Wragge
Tony Wragge
Tony James Wragge is an American football guard for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
. He was then inactive for the next five weeks due to the sprained MCL. He returned to the starting lineup in Chicago on October 29. The entire offensive line was awarded game balls by Head Coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Mike Nolan
Mike Nolan
Mike Nolan is an American football coach and the current defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins...
, in part for their job blocking for the running back, who rushed for 198 yards against the Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
on November 12. He started at left guard against the Seahawks on November 19, and played with an offensive line that blocked for Gore’s single-game franchise record 212 rushing yards. The 49ers accumulated 262 total rushing yards in the game, the eighth most in franchise history. The last time they rushed for that many yards was against Detroit on December 14, 1998, when they ran for a then-franchise-record 328 yards. Gore, who was awarded a game ball by Nolan, in turn gave game balls to the entire offensive line. Allen started at left guard in Seattle on December 14. In one of the best offensive line performances of the season, QB
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Alex Smith
Alex Smith
Alexander Douglas Smith is a professional American football player and starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Smith was drafted with the 1st-overall pick in the 1st round of the 2005 NFL Draft by San Francisco from the University of Utah...
was not sacked once and the 49ers ran for 228 yards, 144 of which were by Gore. Allen was named as a reserve guard for the NFC in the Pro Bowl during the game week to mark his 11th Pro Bowl selection. He started in Denver
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on New Years Eve and blocked for Frank Gore to break the 49ers franchise's single-season rushing record and franchise combined yardage record (2,180). During the Pro Bowl weekend he successfully defended his ESPN's "Strongest Man Award" title at the 2007 Pro Bowl
2007 Pro Bowl
The 2007 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl took place on February 10, 2007, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game was held on a Saturday instead of the usual Sunday after the Super Bowl because of a request by broadcaster CBS....
.
In 2007
2007 San Francisco 49ers season
Game summaryComing off a fierce divisional road win over the Rams, the 49ers flew to Heinz Field for an interconference duel with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the first quarter, the Niners struck first with kicker Joe Nedney getting a 32-yard field goal. The Steelers would immediately respond with...
, Allen started all 16 games at left guard. He was also voted as an alternate to the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
.
Retiring
On August 29, 2008, the Dallas Cowboys re-signed Allen to a one-day contract so he could retire as a Cowboy. The following day, the Cowboys placed him on the retired list.Career summary
Allen was chosen as a member of the NFL’S All-Decade Team for the 1990s. Also, he has been widely recognized as one of the NFL’s best offensive linemen. In his 13 seasons in the National Football LeagueNational Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, he was named to the Pro Bowl 11 times, including his last as a 49er in 2006. He was also named All-Pro seven times, six times at guard (1995–1997, 1999–2001) and once at tackle (1998). With his Pro Bowl selection at tackle in 1998, he became just the third player in league history to be selected to the Pro Bowl at more than one offensive line position during his career, joining Bruce Matthews of the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans (guard/center) and Chris Hinton
Chris Hinton
Christopher Hinton is a former American football tackle and guard who played thirteen seasons in the National Football League, mainly with the Indianapolis Colts. He was traded from the Denver Broncos for John Elway. He went to seven Pro Bowls, six with the Colts and one with the Atlanta Falcons...
of the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
/Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
/Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
(guard/tackle). He played all but one position along the offensive line in his 11 seasons in Dallas, moving between right tackle (1994), right guard (1995–1997), left tackle (1997–1998) and left guard (1999–2003).
During the half-time show of the Cowboys-Seahawks game, November 6, 2011, Allen, Drew Pearson
Drew Pearson (American football)
Drew Pearson is a sportscaster and former American football wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League.-Early years:...
and Charles Haley
Charles Haley
Charles Lewis Haley is a former American football linebacker and defensive end in the National Football League who played for the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys . He was drafted in the fourth round of the 1986 NFL Draft out of James Madison University...
were inducted into the prestigious Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor
Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor
The Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor was a ring around Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas and currently around Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas which honors former players, coaches and club officials who made outstanding contributions to the Dallas Cowboys football organization. The Ring of Honor began...
.
Personal
Allen participated in the Dallas Cowboys offensive line’s support of The Rise School of Dallas with the "First Downs for Down SyndromeDown syndrome
Down syndrome, or Down's syndrome, trisomy 21, is a chromosomal condition caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome. It is named after John Langdon Down, the British physician who described the syndrome in 1866. The condition was clinically described earlier in the 19th...
" project. In fall 2001, the entire offensive line helped paint a Dallas Cowboys Pegasus with children from The Rise School.
He is also married to his wife, Janelle. And they have two daughters, Jayla and Loriana, and one son, Larry, Jr.
External links
- San Francisco 49ers bio
- Dallas Cowboys profile at ESPN.comESPN.comESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...
- Profile at Yahoo! SportsYahoo! SportsYahoo! Sports was launched on December 8, 1997. It receives a majority of its information from STATS, Inc., employs various writers, and has team pages for teams in almost every North American sport...
- Larry Allen Pro-football-reference.com