The Sad Reality of the Cowboys

Troy Aikman is a legendary NFL quarterback and prominent sports broadcaster who spent his entire 12-year playing career with the Dallas Cowboys from 1989 to 2000.[1] Selected first overall in the 1989 NFL Draft, he became the first rookie quarterback to start a season opener for Dallas since Roger Staubach in 1969.[1] During his playing career, Aikman established himself as one of football's elite quarterbacks. He won three Super Bowls (XXVII, XXVIII, and XXX), earning MVP honors in Super Bowl XXVII.[2] He was selected to six consecutive Pro Bowls from 1992 to 1997 and became the winningest starting quarterback of the 1990s with 90 victories.[3] Aikman set 45 Dallas Cowboys passing records, including career records for completions (2,898), passing yards (32,942), touchdowns (165), and completion percentage (61.3%).[1] He led the Cowboys to six NFC East titles and four consecutive NFC Championship Games from 1992 to 1995.[1] Aikman was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006 on his first year of eligibility and into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009.[1] He also earned induction into the UCLA Sports Hall of Fame in 1999, recognizing his standout college career at UCLA where he passed for 5,298 yards and 41 touchdowns in two seasons.[1] After retiring, Aikman transitioned to broadcasting and has become one of the NFL's most respected analysts. He joined FOX in 2001 and was named TV's "Best Newcomer" by Sports Illustrated that year.[1] In 2022, he signed a multi-year deal with ESPN to become the Monday Night Football analyst alongside play-by-play commentator Joe Buck, continuing a broadcasting partnership that began in 2002.[4] Over their two decades together, Aikman and Buck have called more than 290 regular-season games and multiple Super Bowls.[4] Beyond broadcasting, Aikman is also a successful businessman and founder of the Troy Aikman Foundation, which supports disadvantaged children.[5]