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If you think Aaron Donald and Derrick Henry were freaks of nature, I don't blame you. However, I'd have to assume you probably never met former Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Larry Allen, because he puts their workouts to shame. For a little bit of context, there's even proof Allen could bench press 700 lbs. (with a spotter) back in 2013. Which, by the way, was only 16 lbs. shy of the world record back then. And that's only the tip of the iceberg of what Allen could lift in his prime.
Allen had a rough childhood
Before Allen could even make the NFL, his future looked bleak growing up in Compton, California. He almost lost his life to meningitis when he was six weeks old. When he was 10, he was stabbed 12 times while trying to protect his brother. In school, things didn't look any better. When he was in high school, he had to transfer schools each year. Consequently, Allen never even graduated high school or took the SATs which made him ineligible to play NCAA Division I football. Despite all his struggles academically, Allen found solace in playing football as an offensive tackle.
He enrolled in Butte Community College, the same community college Aaron Rodgers went to, and became a beast. Allen lost only two games in his freshman and sophomore season before transferring to Sonoma State University. In his two seasons playing for the Seawolves, he'd only give up one sack.
Allen's NFL dream becomes a reality
Despite never playing Division I football, Allen was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2nd round (46th overall) in the 1994 NFL draft. Safe to say the Cowboys gamble paid off. After injuries to Mark Tuinei and Erik Williams in his rookie season, Allen stepped in and earned the starting position permanently by Week 8. From there, Allen's career took off. After 14 seasons, Allen was named to the Pro Bowl 11x, first-team All-Pro 7x, won one Super Bowl title, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013.
In his prime, Larry Allen could lift about anything. We already mentioned his 700 lb. bench press, when the NFL had its Strongest Man Competition in 2006, Allen barely broke a sweat. Some witnesses also claim Allen could squat 900 lbs. (although no evidence was ever found). You can only imagine the weight he could carry if he trained for powerlifting.
