IRVING, Texas — Longtime Dallas Cowboys fullback Daryl “Moose” Johnston will take to the Main Stage to kick things off as General Session speaker at this year’s Electronic Security Expo (ESX 2026), scheduled for June 1-4 at the Irving Convention Center, according to an Electronic Security Association (ESA) announcement.
The three-time Super Bowl champion “knows what it takes to win – both on and off the field,” the announcement says.
“Daryl Johnston’s genius wasn’t in the spotlight; it was in making (all-time NFL leading rusher) Emmitt Smith unstoppable,” says ESA chairman George De Marco in the association announcement. “That’s exactly the leadership mindset our industry needs right now.
“As security professionals face workforce challenges, evolving customer expectations and pressure to do more with less, Johnston’s insights on building trust and creating a culture where people take ownership will give attendees a practical framework they can apply immediately,” he says.
Why is Daryl Johnston Speaking at ESX 2026?
Johnston, a longtime sports broadcaster, also knows his way around the executive suite, according to the ESA announcement. 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.
He also 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 returned for two more years to the executive vice president role when the USFL merged with the XFL to form the United Football League.
The ESX 2026 general session is scheduled to be presented on the Main Stage at the Irving Convention Center on June 3 at 10:30 a.m. The annual event “brings together security dealers, integrators and monitoring professionals,” according to the ESA announcement. Johnston’s “commitment to leadership as well as to teamwork make him a perfect pick to deliver the General Session speech.”
Johnston “will unpack the habits that can turn quiet potential into confident performance and that create a culture where people take ownership because they feel seen,” the ESA announcement says. He “is truly a team player and was the main blocker relied upon by Smith during the bulk of his NFL career.
In his ESX 2026 General Session speech, Johnston “will impart how to build trust and confidence to make ‘good teammates’ into difference-makers,” according to the ESA announcement.
Attendees “will leave with a practical playbook for lifting others up so wins become repeatable and confidence becomes contagious,” the announcement says. ”His insights are sure to resonate powerfully with attendees who can apply them to their evolving roles in the electronic security and life safety space.”
