Former Dallas Cowboys Guard Tony Hutson Dead At 49

Former Dallas Cowboys guard Tony Hutson has died at the age of 49, according to an obituary shared by Legacy.com last Friday (February 9).

Hutson was found dead earlier this month, though no cause was given. The former guard signed with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent and spent his first four NFL seasons with the franchise before playing his final season with the now- Washington Commanders in 2000.

"Lost one of my favorite teammates and great friends in Tony Hutson on last night," said former teammate Randall Godfrey in a Facebook post shared on February 4. "Please keep the Hutson family in prayer. 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. One of my fishing buddies and much more. I just knew we would be connecting soon. You caught us off guard with this one. Take your rest my brother. Gone too soon."

Lost one of my favorite teammates and great friends in Tony Hutson on last night . Please keep the Hutson family in...

Posted by Randall Godfrey on Sunday, February 4, 2024

Godfrey told the New York Post that Hutson "loved giving back to the community and dealing with kids," describing him as "a fun person to be around" who "kept everybody laughing."

Hutson initially went undrafted after the then-Oakland Raiders found a benign tumor on his right lung during a pre-draft physical in 1996.

“My first thought was I would never get to play football anymore,” Hutson told the Oklahoman in 1996. “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.”

Hutson had the tumor surgically removed before signing with Dallas as an undrafted free agent. The former Northeastern State standout spent his rookie season on the practice squad and missed most of the 1997 training camp due to wrist surgery, but eventually made his first of 20 career appearances during a 17-14 win against the rival Commanders late in the season.

Hutson's NFL career concluded when he was released by the Raiders prior to the 2001 season due to a triceps injury.