Aikman Questions Jerry Jones’ priorities: Is Attention Now the Cowboys’ Real Goal?
FRISCO, TX – Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman has thrown a sharp critique at Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, suggesting the team’s prolonged playoff drought may have shifted the focus from winning to generating headlines. In a candid appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show” Tuesday, Aikman questioned whether Jones prioritizes keeping the Cowboys in the spotlight over building a consistent championship contender.
“I saw Jerry talk about the fact that having the Cowboys as a discussion point is meaningful to him,” Aikman explained. “And if people aren’t talking about the Cowboys, then he’ll do things to stir it up. So he kind of walked into that and has given the impression that that supersedes winning.”
Aikman, who led the Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories in the 1990s, believes the franchise’s 30-year absence from a championship game may be driving this shift. “In some ways,I’m sure Jerry and the Jones family and everyone is tired of the fact that they haven’t been to a championship game,let alone a Super Bowl,in 30 years,” he said. ”So, then when you deflect that, then essentially the valuation of your franchise or the attention and the exposure, or the drama…that then becomes the scoreboard instead of winning and losing on the field.”
(Image: Troy Aikman looks on before the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 4, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fl. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Despite his critique, Aikman was speedy to emphasize that he doesn’t believe Jones doesn’t want to win. “I think Jerry wants to win more than anything else, and I think he’s very tired of the fact that this team, although they’ve won a lot of regular season games, they’ve only won four playoff games. that’s hard to stomach.”
Aikman’s comments arrive on the heels of a blockbuster trade that sent star pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers last week. The move, which netted the Cowboys two first-round picks and veteran defensive tackle Kenny Clark, was widely seen as a surprising and potentially risky maneuver.
The timing of Aikman’s remarks adds fuel to the fire, raising questions about the long-term vision for the Cowboys and whether Jones is willing to sacrifice on-field success for sustained media attention. The Cowboys’ faithful will undoubtedly be hoping that aikman’s assessment doesn’t prove to be a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Keywords: Troy Aikman, Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys, NFL, Micah Parsons, NFL Trade, Football, Playoffs, Super bowl, Rich Eisen Show, NFL News.