Troy Aikman, Hall of Fame QB, on his first two years with the Cowboys: “I was on the path of being a bust”
It wasn’t always rainbows and butterflies for Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman, who had a rough start with the Dallas Cowboys.
Before he became a Hall of Famer, Troy Aikman says his NFL career nearly went in the opposite direction. Appearing on the New Heights podcast and speaking with hosts Jason and Travis Kelce, the former No. 1 overall pick opened up about his difficult start with the Dallas Cowboys, and how close he came to being labeled a failure.
“My first two years in Dallas, I was on that path,” Aikman said. “I was on the path of being a bust.”
Aikman’s early struggles in Dallas
Aikman didn’t sugarcoat just how bad things were early in his career.
“We were the worst offense in football, really, both years,” he said. “My first and second year in the league.”
The struggles came as high expectations surrounded the top overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft. Expectations that, at the time, were far from being met. Everything changed in Aikman’s third season when offensive coordinator Norv Turner arrived.
“Norv Turner then came in my third year with the same players,” Aikman said. “Pretty much the same offensive linemen, same skill players.”
“Our first year, we were a top ten offense and we went to the playoffs for the first time. We won 11 games,” he continued. “And then the next two years with Norv, we we were top five offensively and we won two Super Bowls.”
From bust talk to Hall of Fame
Aikman credits coaching as the defining factor in his turnaround.
“There’s not a lot of great offensive minds,” he said. “And if you’re one of these quarterbacks who’s fortunate enough to play for one, you got a chance to be really successful.”
Aikman’s experience is a reminder of how quickly narratives can change in the NFL, especially for young quarterbacks. He also connected his early struggles to modern players, noting how environment often shapes outcomes.
“So many quarterbacks… came in as high draft picks, high expectations, and then it just never quite happens for them,” he said.
But as his own career proved, the right system along with the right coaching can change everything.
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