Former Dallas Cowboys guard Tony Hutson died earlier this month at the age of 49, according to an obituary posted by his former teammate.
Hutson played 20 games across his NFL career, including 17 in three years with the Cowboys.
He also had a spell with the Washington Redskins, playing just three times there.
An online obituary posted by his former teammate Randall Godfrey read: ‘Our 1996 Dallas Cowboys rookies had a special bond.
‘He made several trips to Valdosta to help with my annual football camps. I cherished every moment that he had me crying after laughing so hard.
Former Dallas Cowboys guard Tony Hutson (right) died earlier this month at the age of 49
‘You caught us off guard with this one. Take your rest my brother. Gone too soon.’
Hutson shone as an offensive tackle at MacArthur High School in Texas and played at Kilgore College. He then attended Northeastern Oklahoma State University.
Despite his talent, Hutson wasn’t drafted in 1996 after the Raiders found a benign tumor on his lung in a physical.
After having surgery to remove it, the Cowboys signed him as a free agent.
Hutson (right) played 20 games in the NFL, including 17 in three years with the Cowboys
‘My first thought was I would never get to play football anymore,’ Hutson
‘But then I thought there’s more to life than football. I just wanted to live my life. I talked to my mom about it and prayed about it.’
He spent a season on the practice squad in Dallas but finally played for the first time in 1997, starting against the Redskins in a thrilling 17-14 win.
Hutson left Dallas after the 1999 season and then joined Washington, but only played three times.
He then signed with the Raiders in 2001. However, a triceps injury forced them to release him before the regular season started.