One of the greatest to ever wear the star on the side of his helmet recently gained a new title, Thursday.
Daryl Johnston has been named president of the football operations, the promotion revealed by Jeff Fedotin of Forbes on Thursday. He served as the vice president last season for the United States Football League. (USFL).
Johnston is now an NFL announcer on Fox and an executive for a sporting league—the only active person to do so.
In a week, the second year of the USFL will kick off on April 19th.
The league does not have a commissioner, so Johnston becoming the president of football operations now gives him the highest-ranking title. He replaces Brain Wood, who stepped away to pursue something else.
Moose has a brief background of experience to help him run the show with his new title.
He was the general manager of the San Antonio Commanders of the Alliance of American Football in 2018. He also was the director of player personnel of the XFL’s Dallas Renegades, which he held in 2019.
The AAF folded due to a lack of funding to back the league, and Johnston took over as player personnel in the XFL right around the time COVID hit the nation. Resulting in it taking a hiatus.
The XFL is solid now, though, with Dwyane “The Rock” Johnson running the show.
Johnston was a member of the Cowboys for the entirety of his career. He retired after the 1999 season mainly due to a neck injury he suffered just a season before.
He made the Pro Bowl in 1993 and 1994, and a huge reason the Cowboys won three Super Bowl titles during his time there.
Remember that if not for Moose, Emmitt Smith might not hold the NFL’s all-time rushing record.
He captured the record after Johnston retired, but he was still a key reason Smith owns that record. It may be a while before we see that broken with how football is played today.
Thursday is the 20th anniversary of Emmitt Smith breaking Walter Payton’s rushing record. Emmitt in tears, to Daryl Johnston during the TV broadcast: “Thank you so much, man.”
Johnston: “I enjoyed everything I ever did for you. You made it fun, buddy.” https://t.co/k4DUJSZR4f
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 25, 2022
The USFL has eight teams, one of which the Cowboys found their current kick and punt returner on. In July 2022, Dallas signed the Most Valuable Player for the USFL last season, KaVontae Turpin.
He was a Pro Bowl selection during his first season with the Cowboys. We may see him a bit more with Mike McCarthy calling plays in 2023.
Johnston will now spend his offseason from the NFL calling games to running the USFL. The 10-week season as noted, will start next week on April 15th and conclude on Sunday, June 18th.
It remains to be seen what type of vision the Moose has for the league, but just like the XFL, it gives players a chance to show why they belong in the NFL.
Hopefully, we will see Jerry Jones put him and others into the ring of honor one day.
For now, I will try and follow what he does for the USFL, and I will continue to enjoy listening to him on Sundays during football season.
Johnston is a piece of Cowboys history. He continues to do great things nearly 25 years after he announced his retirement.
I look forward to seeing if the Moose can float any gems the Cowboys’ way this summer!
