Daryl Johnston

Lore & Background

Johnston played college football for the Syracuse Orange. He was the general manager of the San Antonio Commanders of the Alliance of American Football (AAF) in 2019, the director of player personnel for the Dallas Renegades of the XFL in 2020, and served as the executive vice president of football operations for the revived incarnation of the USFL for its inaugural season, its president for the USFL's second season, and returning to the executive vice president role when the USFL merged with the XFL to form the United Football League and remaining there for its first two seasons as a merged league.

In Their Own Story

The dusty archives of the Bank of America Stadium basement held more than just trophies; they held rumors. A young historian sifted through yellowed rosters from 1995, searching for a name that didn't quite fit. 'Daryl Johnston,' he muttered, tracing a finger over a blank space where a signature should have been. The file was empty, save for a single note: 'Tryout only.' Outside, the stadium lights hummed, illuminating a legacy built on certainty, while inside, the ghost of a player who never quite arrived remained just that—a ghost.

Reader's Guide

Johnston was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round (39th overall) of the 1989 NFL draft. He received his nickname "Moose" from backup quarterback Babe Laufenberg. He played in 149 consecutive games from 1989-1997. He scored 22 career touchdowns and had 294 receptions (third-highest among Cowboys running backs) for 2,227 yards, and 232 carries for 753 yards. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1993 and 1994. He retired at the end of the 1999 season after a neck injury in 1997. He was a member of three Super Bowl winning teams.

Did You Know?

• Johnston was named Western New York Player of the Year in 1983 and awarded the Connolly Cup while playing for Lewiston-Porter High School.
• He was an All-Big East selection in 1987 and an All-American in 1988 at Syracuse University.
• Johnston's 294 receptions is the third-highest number among Cowboys running backs.
• He was present when Emmitt Smith broke the NFL rushing record and came down from the broadcasting booth to hug him.