Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones has left the door open for Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman to potentially join the organization in a major administrative capacity. Speaking during a Tuesday morning appearance on 105.3 The Fan, Jones addressed the prospect of bringing the former franchise icon back to Dallas.
“The answer is not that necessarily we’re going to do something more direct with the team at this time, but don’t rule it out,” Jones said, as reported by The Athletic. “It’s very possible.”
Aikman currently serves as the lead broadcaster on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” and has called games as an analyst for 26 years across ESPN and FOX. However, he recently branched out into front-office consulting, assisting the Miami Dolphins during their general manager search that ultimately resulted in the hiring of former Green Bay Packers executive Jon-Eric Sullivan.
Critical Views from the Former Quarterback
While Aikman won three Super Bowl titles with the Cowboys during the 1990s, he has frequently offered candid critiques of the franchise’s direction and leadership in his role as a television analyst.
“I think that teams and organizations, whether it’s sports, business, I think it all does start at the top, good or bad,” Aikman said earlier this offseason when addressing the franchise’s ongoing Super Bowl drought. “I think it starts at the top. I don’t think Jerry would shy away from that. I think Jerry would certainly take responsibility. He’ll take accountability if and when they win, and I think then you have to take responsibility when it hasn’t worked out. And it hasn’t worked out.”
Aikman’s sharp assessments have continued during the current season. Following Dallas’s victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night, which snapped a two-game skid and brought the Cowboys to a 3-4 record, Aikman expressed skepticism about whether the win signaled a turnaround.
“Eh, not really. Not really. And I don’t mean that as a negative,” Aikman stated during an appearance on SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt. “This is a beat-up Philadelphia team. To come in here and win tonight, I mean, let’s not get carried away. They kind of did what you would expect them to do.”
Season Context and Potential Changes
Dallas currently trails the New York Giants in the NFC East standings. The team faces an upcoming stretch of games against the Arizona Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49ers, and a rematch with the Eagles.
The Cowboys’ standing as contenders will likely become clearer during a difficult stretch around their bye week, which features matchups against the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Giants. If the team fails to achieve its postseason goals this year, Jones could consider structural changes in the front office, including a potential advisory role for Aikman next offseason.
