Daryl Johnston Speaker Biography
Dallas Cowboys Legend, Broadcaster, and Philanthropist
Daryl “Moose” Johnston is a former fullback in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, and a current NFL analyst on Fox Sports. Throughout his career, he has made many extraordinary plays and earned a wealth of achievements, but Daryl chiefly credits these accomplishments as a team effort and claims that he never could’ve gone as far as he did without a lot of help along the way. His presentations put focus on the importance of teamwork as well as self-motivation in achieving your goals and scoring some touchdowns of your own.
Football Player
Daryl Johnston attended Syracuse University, where he was an All-Big East selection in 1988 and an All-American in 1989. Already showing great promise in his collegiate career, rushing for 1,830 yards and catching 46 passes, he was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the second draft (39th overall) of the 1989 NFL Draft. It was during his time there that he received his nickname “Moose” from backup quarterback Babe Laufenberg because of his large stature compared to the rest of the running backs. The name caught on among Dallas fans who would chant “Moooooose” whenever he made a play. As a member of the Cowboys, Johnston played in 149 consecutive games from 1989-1997 and was a key player in three Super Bowl winning teams. He became known as one of the greatest special teams players in franchise history, had the third highest number of receptions among Cowboys running backs, and was the first ever fullback ever selected for the Pro Bowl, a position that was created because of him. He is a recipient of the Ed Block Courage award in 1992, awarded offensive MVP by the Dallas Cowboys in 1995, and received the Tom Landry Legend award in 2009. He was named to the Syracuse Football All Century Team in 2002 and is a member of the 2008 Class of the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame. By the time he was forced to retire in 1999 due to a neck injury, Daryl Johnston had undoubtedly left an incredible legacy on the NFL.
Broadcaster
Daryl first began his broadcasting career in 2000 during FOX‘s coverage of the 2000 NFL Europe League. He later joined the program Players Inc Radio when it moved to Fox Sports Radio, a program sponsored by NFL Players Inc. Since 2013, Daryl has worked as a color commentator alongside Kenny Albert, and also formerly worked with Dick Stockton and Tony “Goose” Siragusa. He was an analyst for the NFL Network’s Total Access until 2012. Daryl also began calling the collegiate Cotton Bowl Classic game for Fox in 2009, first with Pat Summerall, and then eventually Kenny Albert. He was even a guest star of the PBS television series Wishbone in its episode “Moonbone”, extending his experience to a younger crowd. Since 2017, he has continued his esteemed broadcasting career with NFL on FOX, alongside Chris Myers and Laura Okmin.
Philanthropist
Daryl has been a major contributor to many charities including the Special Olympics, Children’s Cancer Fund, NFL Play 60, and Literacy Instruction for Texas (LIFT). He has served as honorary chairman for the American Cancer Society’s Gunslingers‘ Ball as well as MDA’s “Aisles of Smiles” campaign, an organization he has served for over ten years. He is the chairman of “Slant 45”, one of the largest community-wide service-learning programs for children in U.S. history and the largest in NFL history. He is also an advocate for the NFL’s concussion prevention program. It’s no surprise that in 1999, Daryl’s numerous community service activities led to his nomination for the prestigious “Whizzer White Humanitarian Award” and he was also honored with the 2016 Letter Winner of Distinction, awarded by his alma mater, Syracuse University.
Daryl Johnston Speaking Topics
Teamwork: It's Not All About You
Football is a very social game, one in which every member of a team must work to fulfill their role while supporting the roles of others. For Daryl Johnston, that role was to be lead fullback, the main blocker for Emmitt Smith as Smith went on to become the all-time NFL rushing leader. It was Daryl's selflessness and dedication to the team that allowed him to be the key to Smith's success, hanging back while Smith took the spotlight. Smith recognized Daryl's role in his achievement and always acknowledged it, leading to a deeply trusting relationship between the two and serving as a model to the rest of the team. Daryl emphasizes the importance of working effectively with teammates and how to build trust, respect, and growth for the team as a whole.
An Insider's Look at the Game of Football
As a respected former fullback for the Dallas Cowboys and current Fox Sports broadcaster, Daryl Johnston presents a unique perspective into one of America's most popular sports. His presentation is appropriate for all fans of the sport, from “football widows” to active addicts, all through his characteristic style: clear, opinionated, and passionate. He emphasizes that while most spectators are only following where the ball flies and who tackles who, there are twenty-two players on the field in every game and every one of them serves a vital function. Daryl draws upon both his playing experience and years of expert analysis on television to help audiences truly bring the entire field into focus.
Daryl Johnston Books
