Full Breakdown
Jerry Jones Says He Could and Would Hire Troy Aikman to the Cowboys Front Office
By Drooid · · How we work
In this breakdown
01
Core Proposal and Current Context
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told a Dallas-area radio interview that it is “very possible” he could bring former quarterback Troy Aikman into a front-office role. Jones emphasized that while no immediate plan exists, he would not rule out such a move. Aikman, a Hall of Fame quarterback who spent his entire 12-year playing career with the Cowboys, is presently an ESPN color commentator. His contract with ESPN is set to expire after the network’s Super Bowl broadcast, according to Front Office Sports.
02
Background on Aikman’s Career and Recent Performance
Aikman was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1989 draft, led Dallas to three Super Bowl titles (1992, 1993, 1995), and earned six Pro Bowl selections. Since retiring after the 2000 season, he has worked in broadcasting and briefly consulted for the Miami Dolphins during their 2023-24 offseason. The Cowboys have not won a championship since the 1995 season; they have appeared in the playoffs ten times since Aikman’s retirement but hold a 4-10 postseason record and have posted back-to-back sub-.500 regular seasons, entering the current stretch at 3-4.
03
Official Statements & Responses
Aikman responded that he would welcome a conversation with Jones and would consider any opportunity that could help the team, noting that Jones’ recent comments “meant a lot to me.”
04
Verbatim Quotes
- “Troy is very capable and he's so, really relatively speaking, he's in his youth as careers go,” — Jerry Jones
- “This week he said some really kind things, which meant a lot to me, quite honestly,” — Troy Aikman, head coach
- “And the answer is … not that necessarily we’re going to do something more direct with the team at this time,” — Jerry Jones
- “So let me make it real clear,” — Jerry Jones
05
Potential Implications
If Jones were to appoint Aikman to a front-office position, the move would represent a shift from broadcasting back to team operations for a former player who has never held a formal front-office role. The proposal underscores Jones’s willingness to explore unconventional staffing options amid the Cowboys’ recent struggles to return to the NFL’s upper tier.