"I have an autistic son" - Dan Orlovsky chokes up after ESPN's special gesture for ex-Lions QB's child

Dan Orlovsky's work has made him nigh-indispensable for ESPN in both the studio and broadcast booth. On Wednesday, the network made a gesture that moved him greatly.

In honor of World Autism Awareness Day, the usual NFL Live graphic was changed to one showing the drawings of the former Detroit Lions quarterback's son Madden.

As the boy started running around the studio and pointing at the drawings, Orlovsky said:

"I have an autistic son... and his superpower is drawing. He loves art. He loves to draw animated characters... This is like him in his truest form, like his favorite thing in the world is the draw, to create characters, to create animated characters... He is a special dude."

And reactions poured out from his colleagues, beginning with Field Yates, who would later debate with him over the Dallas Cowboys mock-drafting Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan:

"Madden is an absolute star. Seeing his smile is everything. And seeing @danorlovsky7’s pride as a dad is incredibly cool."

He would be joined by co-host Laura Rutledge, who also acts as sideline reporter during games that Orlovsky calls alongside Chris Fowler and Louis Riddick:

Autism Awareness Month will last until April 30. Madden is one-third of a set of male triplets alongside Hunter and Noah. Orlovsky and his wife Tiffany also have a daughter named Lennon. As of this writing, Noah, Hunter, and Madden are each thirteen years old. Lennon, meanwhile, is nine.

Orlovsky’s hectic schedule involves watching film and games both within and without the season and shuttling between ESPN’s studios in New York and Connecticut. But when he is around, he relishes it to the fullest extent. In a feature interview for the official magazine of his alma mater UConn, he said this about parenting:

“There's no game tape for parenting. Each child is so different, and parenthood has no end zone.”

When Dan Orlovsky reflected on life with his family

When Dan Orlovsky is around his family, he relishes his time with them to the fullest extent. In a feature interview for the official magazine of his alma mater UConn, he said this about parenting:

“There's no game tape for parenting. Each child is so different, and parenthood has no end zone.”

Being a commentator does not compare to the “competitive fire” that is being on the field. This was a factor in his search for a coaching job earlier in that year, after he once considered joining Frank Reich’s staff at the Carolina Panthers in 2023.