'A Special Bond': Dallas Cowboys Ex Lineman Tony Hutson Dies at Age 49

The late Tony Hutson overcame a lung tumor to appear in 17 games with the Dallas Cowboys.

Per an online death notice on Legacy.com, former Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Tony Hutson has passed away at the age of 49. Hutson's cause of death was not disclosed.

Hutson played 20 games with the Cowboys between 1997 and 1999, overcoming a tumor to make the Pokes' roster. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent out of NAIA school Northeastern Oklahoma State, where he picked up All-American honors.

Facebook: Randall Godfrey

Though a benign tumor in his lung caused him to go undrafted, the Cowboys brought Hutson aboard in 1996 and he'd go on to spend the ensuing on the team's practice squad. Hutson would go on to make three starts in Dallas, including two during the 1999 season when Erik Williams went down with an injury. Hutson also appeared in the Cowboys' lone playoff game after the 1998 season.

"A lot of teams thought it was cancer, so that scared them off, but it all turned out fine," Hutson recalled to Mike Baldwin of The Oklahoman after signing with the Cowboys in 1996. "While I was lying in my hospital bed, recovering from surgery, I got a call from my agent who had talked to Dallas, so we decided to sign with the Cowboys. It's great to be with a winning team."

"I believe if you label yourself an underrated player from a small school, you'll play underrated. If you think of yourself as a highly talented player, you'll play that way. Here you have to learn a lot of things real fast. You've just got to repeat everything until you get it down."

Former Cowboys teammate and fellow 1996 arrival Randall Godfrey paid tribute to Hutson in a Facebook post.

"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."

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In addition to his time with the Cowboys, Hutson appeared in three games with the Washington Redskins and spent the summer of 2001 with the Oakland Raiders.