Troy Aikman
The first overall pick who led Dallas to three championships and faced the Bears once in a decisive playoff loss.
Troy Aikman is an American former professional football quarterback who played 12 seasons for the Dallas Cowboys after transferring from Oklahoma to UCLA, where he won the Davey O'Brien Award in 1988. Selected first overall in the 1989 NFL draft by the Cowboys, he led the franchise to three Super Bowl victories and was named MVP of Super Bowl XXVII. His career included six Pro Bowl selections before his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
- character_role
- Quarterback
- primary_affiliation
- Dallas Cowboys
- hall_of_fame_status
- Inducted 2006
- super_bowl_wins
- 3 (with Dallas)
- bears_connection
- Opponent in 1991 Wild Card Round via Steve Beuerlein
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Aikman's journey began at Henryetta High School, where he won an Oklahoma state typing championship before choosing football over a New York Mets contract. He started for Oklahoma as a freshman but suffered a broken ankle against Miami in 1985, ending his season while the Sooners went on to win the national title. Transferring to UCLA under Terry Donahue, Aikman led the Bruins to a 20–4 record over two seasons, winning the 1987 Aloha Bowl and the 1989 Cotton Bowl. As a senior in 1988, he threw for 2,771 yards and 24 touchdowns, finishing third in Heisman voting before being drafted by Dallas.
In Their Own Story
In the 1991 NFC Divisional Playoff, Aikman faced the Chicago Bears' rival, the Detroit Lions. The Cowboys trailed 17–6 at halftime against an undefeated Washington Redskins team earlier that season when Aikman was injured, allowing Steve Beuerlein to lead a wild card upset over the Bears in the first round. However, when Aikman returned for the Divisional Playoff against Detroit, he entered in the third quarter with the Cowboys still trailing but could not spark a comeback as they lost 38–6. This loss marked his only playoff failure before leading Dallas to dominance in 1992 and 1993.
Reader's Guide
To understand Aikman's career, focus on his three Super Bowl runs: XXVII against the Bills, XXVIII against the Bills again, and XXX against the Steelers. In Super Bowl XXVII, he completed 22 of 30 passes for 273 yards and four touchdowns, earning MVP honors. His 1992 season saw him set career highs with 302 completions and 3,445 yards, breaking Joe Montana's record with 89 consecutive pass attempts without an interception in the playoffs. Although he faced the Bears in the 1991 wild card round via his teammate Beuerlein, Aikman's personal legacy is defined by the three titles won with Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin.
Did You Know?
- Aikman won the 1983 Oklahoma high school state championship in typing.
- He was a consensus All-American and finished third in the 1988 Heisman Trophy voting.
- In 2005, Aikman became a co-owner of the NASCAR team Hall of Fame Racing with Roger Staubach.
- Aikman served as the NFL on Fox color commentator from 2001 to 2021 before joining ESPN and ABC in 2022.
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