The Dallas Cowboys were entering a new era in 1989 when Jerry Jones bought the team. One of his first moves was to fire Tom Landry, who had been the only head coach in the franchise’s 29 years. Jones hired Jimmy Johnson to be the head coach and lead player personnel decisions.
One of Johnson’s first major decisions was how the Cowboys would use the first overall pick in the upcoming draft. He selected quarterback Troy Aikman, who played college football at Oklahoma and UCLA, with the pick. Aikman would go on to be the team’s starting quarterback throughout his 12-year career in Dallas.
Troy Aikman Was Winless as a Rookie
Johnson made a surprising decision in the supplemental draft by using a future first-round pick to select his former University of Miami quarterback, Steve Walsh. Dallas was coming off a 3-13 season in 1988 and ended up going 1-15 in Johnson’s first season.
Aikman started the first four games and struggled as the Cowboys started 0-4. He had one touchdown and six interceptions before breaking a finger in the fourth game.
Walsh took over for Aikman and started the next five games, including the team’s only win in Week 9 against Washington. Walsh completed 49.7% of his passes with four touchdowns and five interceptions.
Aikman returned to start the rest of the season and finished 0-11 as a starter. He ended his rookie year with nine touchdown passes and 18 interceptions. Walsh was traded to the New Orleans Saints for three high draft picks in September 1990.
Super Improvement for Dallas
In the 1990 draft, the Cowboys selected Florida running back Emmitt Smith in the first round. Aikman, Smith, and wide receiver Michael Irvin would form a dynamic offensive trio nicknamed “The Triplets.”
After a 7-9 season in 1990, the Cowboys made the postseason in 1991 and won the franchise’s first playoff game since 1982. Aikman injured his knee in Week 13 and did not start a game the rest of the season. Backup Steve Beuerlein started the final five games of the regular season and the two playoff games.
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Aikman replaced Beuerlein during the team’s loss to the Detroit Lions in the NFC Divisional Round. Aikman was named to his first Pro Bowl for his performance in the first 12 games.
The Cowboys started 1992 with high expectations and met them during the regular season by winning the NFC East. In the NFC Championship against the San Francisco 49ers, Aikman completed 24 of 34 passes for 322 yards with two touchdowns as the Cowboys advanced to the Super Bowl.
The Cowboys played the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVII, and Aikman shined again with 273 pass yards and four touchdowns to earn MVP honors. He completed 68.5% of his passes, eight touchdowns, and zero interceptions in the three playoff games in 1992.
The Cowboys repeated as champions the following season, defeating the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game and the Bills in the Super Bowl. Aikman led the league in completion percentage and earned NFL MVP votes for the only time in his career for the 1993 season.
Aikman’s former college head coach, Barry Switzer, replaced Johnson for the 1994 season. Dallas’ hopes of three straight Super Bowl titles ended with a loss to the 49ers in the NFC title match. Aikman completed 30 of 53 passes for 380 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions in the loss.
The Cowboys returned to the Super Bowl in 1995 and defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers to become the first team to win three Super Bowls in four seasons. Aikman completed 70% of his passes with five touchdowns and one interception in three Super Bowl appearances.
End of a Dynasty
After the Super Bowl against the Steelers, Aikman would only win one more playoff game in his career as the Cowboys dynasty faded. Dallas would only have a winning record twice in Aikman’s last five seasons.
Aikman had multiple concussions during the 2000 season, and a concussion late in the season knocked him out of a game in Week 15. That would be Aikman’s final game as he retired following the season, his 12th in the NFL.
Aikman won three Super Bowls, made the Pro Bowl six times, and was named the 1997 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year. He finished with a 61.5% completion rate, 165 touchdowns, and 141 interceptions. With Aikman starting, Dallas was 94-71 in the regular season and 11-4 in the postseason.
Aikman was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
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