Dallas Cowboys helmetARLINGTON, TX – NOVEMBER 05: A Dallas Cowboys helmet at AT&T Stadium on November 5, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The Dallas Cowboys franchise is in mourning this week over the loss of a former player.

Former Dallas Cowboys guard Tony Hutson died earlier this month.

Hutson, a Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman in the 1990s whose mantra was “Don’t let anything happen to Troy,” died in early February at the age of 49, according to an online obituary.

A cause of death was not given.

Cowboys linebacker Randall Godfrey posted about the death on Facebook.

“Lost one of my favorite teammates and great friends in Tony Hutson on last night,” Godfrey wrote. “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.”

Hutson shined as an offensive tackle at MacArthur High School in Texas and played at Kilgore College. He also attended Northeastern Oklahoma State University.

Hutson was a two-time NAIA All-American but he would go undrafted due to the Raiders finding out he had a benign tumor in his lung in the draft process. He would have surgery to remove it. That led him to sign with the Cowboys in 1996. He spent a season on the practice squad in Dallas but finally played for the first time in 1997. He was with the team through the 1999 season. He actually started two games during that final season in Dallas.

He would then go on to spend a season in Washington but only played three times. He also signed with the Raiders in 2001 but a triceps injury forced them to release him before the regular season started.