Former Cowboys Guard Dead at 49

Former NFL guard Tony Hutson, who played for the Dallas Cowboys from 1996 through 1999, died earlier this month at age 49.

News of Hutson’s passing surfaced in an online obituary but his cause of death is unknown. His former teammate Randall Godfrey posted a tribute on Facebook on Feb. 4, writing that he had lost one of his favorite teammates and great friends.

“Our 1996 Dallas Cowboys rookies had a special bond,” Godfrey wrote. “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,” he added. “I just knew we would be connecting soon. You caught us off guard with this one. Take your rest my brother.”

Hutson was an offensive tackle at MacArthur High School in Harris County, TX, receiving All-State, All-Greater Houston and All-District honors as a senior. He then played college football at Kilgore College before later transferring to Northeastern Oklahoma State University. 

However, his pro football career was almost over before it began after a golf-ball sized tumor was discovered behind his right lung after being selected an undrafted free agent in the 1996 NFL Draft. After undergoing surgery to remove the tumor, he was signed as a rookie player with the Cowboys.

“A lot of teams thought it was cancer, so that scared them off, but it all turned out fine,” Hutson told The Oklahoman 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.”

After being dropped by the Cowboys in 1999, he played one season each with the Washington Redskins in 2000 and to the Oakland Raiders practice squad in 2001, but his career was plagued with injury and he retired for good after the 2001 season.