Former Cowboys QB Troy Aikman, on student athletes getting paid with NIL money: “The NCAA really dropped the ball”

Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman isn’t against college athletes getting paid, but he believes the system surrounding NIL has spiraled out of control. Speaking on the New Heights podcast with Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce, the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback offered a candid critique of how things have unfolded.

“I know that most alums have heartburn over this whole NIL program, and I don’t know how it gets cleaned up,” Aikman said.

“It’s the Wild West out there”

Aikman pointed to a lack of structure and accountability in the current system, especially compared to professional leagues.

“At least in the NFL, you’ve got a contract that if you take money, you know you’re obligated,” he said. “You can’t collect a check and then the very next year, go back in the portal and then go collect another check.”

The lack of consistency has created what Aikman sees as a chaotic environment.

“And now it’s the Wild West out there,” he added.

Despite his criticism, Aikman made it clear he has long supported the idea of paying college athletes.

“I always thought players should be paid because, you couldn’t work in the offseason, or you could work in the summers. You couldn’t work during the school year back when I was playing,” he said.

He also acknowledged the financial struggles many players faced.

“I didn’t come from a wealthy family at all… but there were a lot of teammates of mine who came from less money than even I did, and they were really struggling.”

But in Aikman’s view, the governing body failed to implement a fair system when it had the chance.

“The NCAA, I think, just really dropped the ball,” he said. “I mean, if they’d gotten out ahead of this and said, okay, here’s what we’re going to do...and they didn’t do it.”

Another concern for Aikman is what’s been lost in the conversation.

“What also what you don’t hear about anymore is, is the quality of the education,” he said. “It’s not even discussed - graduation rates, none of it.”

Aikman is not alone in this sentiment. Many former players and alumni have questioned the priorities of these college football programs as NIL deals and the transfer portal reshape the sport. While NIL has empowered players financially, the lack of structure has created new challenges.

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