Dallas Cowboys icon and Hall of Famer Rayfield Wright dead at 76

By Homero De la Fuente, CNN

Updated 1525 GMT (2325 HKT) April 8, 2022

Rayfield Wright of the Dallas Cowboys poses with his bust after his induction during the Class of 2006 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony.

(CNN)Pro Football Hall of Famer and Dallas Cowboys icon Rayfield Wright died on Thursday at the age of 76, the Hall of Fame announced, citing his wife Di. Wright suffered a severe seizure and had been hospitalized for several days, the Hall of Fame said.

«Over the past few weeks, it has become abundantly clear the love that so many Hall of Famers and others around the NFL felt toward Rayfield, his wife, Di, and the extended Wright family,» Hall of Fame President Jim Porter said. «His gentle nature away from the game belied his commanding presence on the field. All fans, especially those of the Cowboys, will remember fondly his dominance on the offensive line in the 1970s and how he took protecting Dallas quarterbacks as his personal mission.»We will guard his legacy in Canton with equal tenacity. The Hall of Fame Flag will fly at half-staff through Rayfield's services next Friday as a tribute to the many lives he touched."A seventh-round pick in the 1967 AFL-NFL Draft out of Fort Valley State College, Wright was an offensive tackle who played 188 games in his 13-year career with the Dallas Cowboys, where he was named to six consecutive Pro Bowls and three straight first-team All-Pro selections. Read MoreRayfield Wright played 188 games over 13 years for the Dallas Cowboys.After being offered a position by the NBA's Cincinnati Royals, Wright elected to forego a career in pro basketball and later joined the Cowboys as a tight end. During the 1969 season, right tackle Ralph Neely suffered an injury, which