Emotional Troy Aikman fights back tears with touching on-air tribute to ‘right-hand man’ and MNF colleague

The Philadelphia Eagles played host to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football to conclude Week 7 of the 2026 NFL season. The visiting Cowboys secured a 38-21 victory against their bitter NFC East rivals, but away from the football field there were more important matters at hand. Earlier this week, it was announced that Southwest Florida sports radio personality David Moulton had died after a six-year battle with stage four renal cell cancer. Moulton had worked on Monday Night Football for the past several years, and has been described as one of Troy Aikman ‘s most trusted confidants in the broadcast booth. ESPN analyst Aikman got visibly emotional on MNF this week while discussing his friend and colleague, fighting back tears as he said, “He was a fighter right up until the end… he left a hole in a lot of people’s hearts. Just a good man”. Aikman and partner Joe Buck had a close relationship with Moulton, having previously worked with him when Moulton was a spotter on FOX NFL coverage on Thursdays and Sundays – a role he also served for SEC games on CBS with Gary Danielson. View Tweet: https://t.co/2dUVd4HAFr Moulton also worked with Sirius XM on Mad Dog Radio and NFL Radio and was the voice of The Florida Gulf Coast athletics. He had been a columnist for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press from 2007-2018. More recently he worked on MNF, as well as the “Miller and Moulton” show with longtime radio partner, Mark Miller, which he had to step away from in August due to declining health. News of his death evidently rocked Aikman, who earlier in the week posted a poignant tribute on social media, calling Moulton his ‘right-hand man’ “Since 2018, David Moulton has been my right-hand man in the broadcast booth,” Aikman wrote alongside a photograph of the pair together. “What started as a professional relationship became a friendship I have cherished. 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.” David and wife Julie share a daughter together, Melissa. Julie was the first to share the news of his passing. “It is with a completely shattered heart broken into a million pieces I share that my loving husband, David, died last night while in hospice care at the Douglas Center for Caring,” she wrote, per the Fort Myers News-Press. “David battled stage four renal cell cancer for six long years. It metastasized to his bones two years ago. He never stopped fighting or trying new treatments. “He loved life and loved each and every one of you more than words can express. We are so thankful for the love and support you all have given us. “My sweet husband you are finally free of pain and with all our heavenly angels. Thank you for blessing us with the gift of you and for sharing your beautiful life with all of us. Cherish every second and he did. Love you.”