Cowboys Hall of Fame guard Larry Allen passes away at 52

The Dallas Cowboys fanbase was hit with some shocking and depressing news on Monday afternoon, as one of the greatest players in franchise history in Larry Allen passed away suddenly.

Allen died at just 52 years old while on a family vacation in Mexico. The cause of death is not yet known. Allen is survived by his wife Janelle, daughters Jayla and Loriana, and son Larry III.

Tributes started flowing in from across the NFL, with many remembering that No. 73 in his prime was an elite offensive lineman who built a Hall of Fame career and legacy as a champion on the back of his powerful and aggressive style of play.

Cowboys legend Larry Allen passes away at 52

Coming to Dallas as a second-round pick out of Sonoma State, Allen put together a career that established him as one of the best guards to ever play the game. Arguably the strongest man in the NFL when he played, Allen was named a Pro Bowler an astonishing 11 times while becoming a first-team All-Pro six times.

Between 1995 and 2006, the only year Allen did not make a Pro Bowl was 2002, when he was injured. Emmitt Smith became the NFL's all-time leading rusher running behind Allen, and Troy Aikman helped lead Dallas to a Super Bowl in 1995 with Allen at left guard. Allen also played for the 49ers for two seasons before retiring.

Allen is the second member of the famed "Great Wall of Dallas" offensive line of the 1990s to pass away, as left tackle Mark Tuinei died in 1999 at age 39 following a drug overdose.

Allen will forever be remembered in Cowboys history and the greater annals of the NFL as one of the best run-blocking guards this game has ever seen and one of the best to ever wear Dallas' star on the side of his helmet. This is a sad day for the Cowboys fanbase.