Things got emotional up in the ESPN “Monday Night Football” broadcast booth at Lincoln Financial Field.
During Monday’s Eagles-Cowboys game, Joe Buck and Troy Aikman took time away from the game to talk about and honor their colleague David Moulton, who died after a six-year battle with stage four renal cell cancer, his wife announced Saturday.
“This group lost a dear friend and coworker this week. Our buddy David Moulton passed away at the age of 60,” Buck started after the network showed a clip of Moulton in the booth dressed as Sulley from “Monsters Inc.”
“He was my right-hand man for those years at Fox covering golf, and Troy, he was your right-hand man for all these years in the booth doing NFL coverage. We loved him. We are sending our very best to his wife Julie, his daughter Melissa and her husband Sean and their two kids. The entire family. He helped Gary Danielson along the way. He just was so brilliant and just effortless in the way he would give us information, give you information, during the game. He will not be replaced.”
As Aikman was set to respond, emotions flooded over him.
“No, he will not. He was a fighter right up until the end and … sorry…” Aikman started to say while getting chocked up. “He left a hole in a lot of people’s hearts and just a good man.”
Moulton had been a part of ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” coverage for the past several years alongside Aikman and Buck.
He was also previously a spotter for the pair while working for Fox’s NFL coverage on Thursdays and Sundays. He held the same role for SEC games for CBS with Gary Danielson.
Moulton, 59, left the “Miller and Moulton” show with Mark Miller in August due to his declining health.
“He is missed up here and well said,” Buck replied to Aikman. “They don’t come any tougher than David Moulton and what he’s been through the last couple years. His grandkids Oakland and Reese were the apples of his eye, so we are sending all our love to the Moulton family.”
Kevin Burkhardt announced Moulton’s passing while calling the Lions-Packers game Sunday for Fox.
“Just a guy that everyone around him loved,” Burkhardt said. “Gone too soon. David Moulton, you will be missed my friend.”
Aikman also posted Monday on Instagram about his former coworker.
“Since 2018, David Moulton has been my right-hand man in the broadcast booth. What started as a professional relationship became a friendship I have cherished,” he wrote. “David was loyal, dependable and a warrior until the very end. He deserved better. My heart breaks for his family and all who loved him.
“I’m grateful for the years we shared and will miss him deeply. Rest in peace big guy🙏🏼❤️”
