Some people know Dan Orlovsky for his NFL analysis (and occasional hot takes regarding both food and football). Others remember him as the backup quarterback who once mistakenly ran out of the back of the end zone for a safety.
But on Wednesday, the ESPN NFL analyst was just “Dad.”
That much was clear during Wednesday’s episode of NFL Live, in which Orlovsky’s son, Madden, replaced the show’s traditional graphics with his artwork in celebration of World Autism Awareness Day. Only Madden’s drawings weren’t the only way in which he made his presence felt, as the 13-year-old and his father shared one of the most heartwarming moments to have ever been witnessed on ESPN airwaves.
As Madden showcased his artwork, Dan Orlovsky asked his son to show a drawing of a character from one of his favorite movies. Madden opted to go with a sketch he drew of Woody from Toy Story, prompting his dad to quietly hum Randy Newman’s “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.”
That moment alone would have been touching enough, but was taken to a new level as Madden picked up the tune. The young teenager proceeded to sing the song while stacking his markers together like a microphone, as his teary-eyed father (and a visibly emotional Laura Rutledge) looked on.
As Madden continued singing the 1995 classic, Rutledge regrettably had to throw to a commercial.
“We’re going to have to go to break and I feel so bad about that,” the NFL Live host said as Madden sung the show to its break.
The untimely commercial, however, hardly ruined the feel-good moment, which was replayed on Thursday’s episode of Get Up with host Mike Greenberg getting similarly emotional. Most importantly, the moment clearly meant a lot to Dan Orlovsky, who called himself a “proud dad” while admitting that he “cried a lot” on Wednesday.
He was far from the only one.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.