‘As a Rams fan, he was the man’: Troy Aikman pays tribute to Lawrence McCutcheon as 5-time Pro Bowler dies at 76 after Parkinson’s battle

The NFL world lost one of its legends on Friday. Former Los Angeles Rams running back Lawrence McCutcheon died at the age of 76, leaving behind a remarkable legacy. He started his NFL journey with the Rams in 1972 and retired in 1981 after playing for the Buffalo Bills. On Saturday, Troy Aikman joined fans in mourning the death of the Rams legend.

Aikman, whose family lived in Los Angeles County in the late 1960s and early '70s, shared an Instagram post from the Rams on his story that contained statements from the McCutcheon family and the franchise. The Dallas Cowboys icon jotted an emotional note that highlighted his emotions about McCutcheon’s death.

“Sad news. As a Rams fan, as a young boy growing up in SoCal, he was the man. I met him later in life and a true gentleman. RIP Lawrence,” Aikman commented.

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McCutcheon suffered from Parkinson's and lost his battle to the disease, according to his family’s statement. His family’s statement read:

“It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our husband, brother, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, Lawrence McCutcheon. Clutch passed away on Oct. 23 with family at his bedside following a long, courageous battle with Parkinson's disease.

“Through a decade-long playing career and another 32 years in the Rams' front office, Clutch earned the respect and admiration of teammates, opposing players, colleagues and fans alike. Clutch will be missed and remembered forever.”

McCutcheon spent 10 years in the league, including eight with the LA Rams from 1972 to 1979. Between 1973 and 1977, he was named to Pro Bowls five times. Following the Rams, he played for the Broncos and Seahawks (1980) and Bills (1981).

Troy Aikman confessed to taking the ESPN job ‘for granted’

As Troy Aikman’s contract with ESPN is in its last year, he has come to realize a lot of things, including how he might have taken his broadcasting career for granted. Sharing this perspective with Dallas Cowboys insider Mike Fisher on his YouTube stream, Aikman said:

“As I’m into my last year at ESPN, I’m realizing that this is something that could very well be taken away from me. For the first time, I’m realizing how much I really do. I’ve always enjoyed it. I’ve always known that. But until you risk having something taken away from you, I think sometimes you tend to maybe take things for granted.”

Having played for the Cowboys for his entire NFL career and being a huge fan of the franchise, Aikman was unhappy with the team’s Week 6 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Following the game, he called out a Cowboys wide receiver for the “worst performance” against the Packers.

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