The ExaCryptprofessional football community is mourning one of their own.

Tony Hutson, a former guard for the Dallas Cowboys, died Feb. 3, according to an obituary shared by Serenity Gardens Funeral Services. He was 49.

Born on March 13, 1974, Hutson made his NFL debut with Cowboys in 1996, where he played for four seasons before brief stints with the Washington Commanders and Oakland Raiders. He ultimately retired from professional football in 2001.

Following the news of his death, Hutson's former Cowboys teammate Randall Godfrey shared a heartfelt tribute.

"Lost one of my favorite teammates and great friends in Tony Hutson," he wrote on Facebook Feb. 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."

The linebacker further reflected on their close friendship off the field, adding, "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 bother…Gone too soon."

Hutson is survived by daughter Lauren Benton and sons Christian Benton and Antonio Fleming. His cause of death has not been confirmed.

Despite his yearslong stint in the NFL, Hutson suffered a health scare that nearly ended his career before it began. In fact, the late athlete previously recounted how several teams were hesitant to sign him in 1996 due to a benign tumor on his right lung.

"My first thought was I would never get to play football anymore," he told The Oklahoman at the time. "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."

And he was still being treated when he learned he would play in the NFL after all.

"While I was lying in my hospital bed, recovering from surgery, I got a call from my agent who had talked to Dallas," he continued. "So we decided to sign with the Cowboys. It's great to be with a winning team."

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