Video: Aikman on why he left the Cowboys - never hear this before

[Calvin2Tony2Emmitt2Julius]

Chill, the team was going in a hole and he saw it ahead of time. The hits on Troy Aikman, missing out on Randy Moss, the Joey Galloway trade took a toll on this team.

If that's how you see OK. But Troy still threw the team under the bus. Like those guys were garbage and he was above it all. They were talking about the white house and other

unsavory Cowboys antics when he started his diatribe. But hey in your eyes Saint Troy can never do anything. NOT MINE. Troy had never been the most team oriented player.. He left Oklahoma for UCLA. Again because it benefitted HIM

 

[kevm3]

If that's how you see OK. But Troy still threw the team under the bus. Like those guys were garbage and he was above it all. They were talking about the white house and other

unsavory Cowboys antics when he started his diatribe. But hey in your eyes Saint Troy can never do anything. NOT MINE. Troy had never been the most team oriented player.. He left Oklahoma for UCLA. Again because it benefitted HIM

Why wouldn't he do what benefits him? The owners sure do. Only an idiot won't think about their future in this very dangerous league. All of those teammates won't be paying his medical bills if he turns into a vegetable after constantly getting rocked.

 

[Calvin2Tony2Emmitt2Julius]

Yeah I know it's fine to do what benefits you. But then to throw your team mates under the bus to try and justify it. Beyotch move .As far as the whole Vegetable thing , Troy seems like he's ok to me

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

Yeah I know it's fine to do what benefits you. But then to throw your team mates under the bus to try and justify it. Beyotch move .As far as the whole Vegetable thing , Troy seems like he's ok to me

He's so fine he doesn't even remember playing in the 1994 NFC Championship game. He didn't throw anybody under the bus and he doesn't owe us anything. He help give us 3 SB trophies. That's more than enough.

 

[InPhiltraitor]

If that's how you see OK. But Troy still threw the team under the bus. Like those guys were garbage and he was above it all. They were talking about the white house and other

unsavory Cowboys antics when he started his diatribe. But hey in your eyes Saint Troy can never do anything. NOT MINE. Troy had never been the most team oriented player.. He left Oklahoma for UCLA. Again because it benefitted HIM

Would you prefer that Troy stayed in Oklahoma after they switched from the I-formation back to the wishbone following Aikman breaking his ankle? Don’t think he was winning the Davey O’Brien Award while faking the fullback dive and running down the line with Lydell Carter or Spencer Tillman on his hip. He did the right thing for himself and ultimately OK by leaving.

Troy was team oriented. That’s why he got so hot at the coaching staff, wasn’t so much directly at the players, for not disciplining stupid and lazy on field and off-the-field antics. There’s some quality tape of him on the sidelines questioning the purpose of multiple coaches and he knew it filtered from the top down. I can only imagine what some of the closed door conversations were like.

After Jimmy, this guy had to answer questions about being gay and treating black athletes different than white ones. Nothing was done by Barry or Jerry to squash this crap. In fact, Barry basically fanned the flames cuz he knew his relationship with Troy sucked and he was in self-preservation mode.

With the writing on the wall that this team was headed toward the 1-15 crap it once was, where Troy took a daily ***-beating, is it any wonder he wanted out.

 

[ottawacowpoke]

If that's how you see OK. But Troy still threw the team under the bus. Like those guys were garbage and he was above it all. They were talking about the white house and other

unsavory Cowboys antics when he started his diatribe. But hey in your eyes Saint Troy can never do anything. NOT MINE. Troy had never been the most team oriented player.. He left Oklahoma for UCLA. Again because it benefitted HIM

He was encouraged to go to UCLA by Switzer who actually called the UCLA HC on Troy’s behalf. This was detailed in the Troy Aikman episode of “A Football “Life”.

 

[ShortRound]

Bunch of disrespectful children in this thread ........ we would be beyond lucky to have a young Troy Aikman to build this team around.

Sad bunch of posters, Aikman was a warrior for this team.

 

[stuckindc]

It was awful drafting that led to the Cowboys downfall. I still can't get over Jerry not drafting Randy Moss. And then giving up all those picks for Joey Galloway. Does anyone really think that happens if Jimmy was still here?

Add Roy Williams too

 

[kskboys]

Add Roy Williams too

Even better, add Roy Williams(S) over Ed Reed.

 

[stuckindc]

Even better, add Roy Williams(S) over Ed Reed.

Ugghh. That one is crazy. We could have had Ware and Aaron in the first round too. A couple years later

 

[VaqueroTD]

Been posted a few times here, but still an excellent interview.

 

[buybuydandavis]

He neglected to say that he was having chronic back issues. He was done.

That was my recollection as well. It wasn't the concussions, it was the back.

 

[tromofan]

Jimmy Johnson was a big believer in player accountability, as was Troy. And it was that accountability that left with his departure. Troy was tired of having to be a player motivator on top of his regular job. In short, all the adults had left the room after 1993. After the 1995 championship season, you could start to see the frustration boil over with Troy on the sidelines. Just watch A Football Life on the NFL channel. It was only a matter of time before he left.

 

[offlimits]

Troy took tremendous punishment his first two years; and he saw that starting again and wanted no part of it
He had no faith in Jerry the GM to fix things and he was absolutely correct on that.

He took a beating in that 1989 1-15 season.

 

[802dave]

At the end, Aikman could not handle the normal punishment an NFL qb takes. I think in his mind he is in denial a little bit about his physical condition.

That is what I remember. Jerry kind of forced Troy to retire because he had several concussions. I’m not saying other factors didn’t play into the decision, but his health was the biggest concern in my memory.

 

[Calvin2Tony2Emmitt2Julius]

Would you prefer that Troy stayed in Oklahoma after they switched from the I-formation back to the wishbone following Aikman breaking his ankle? Don’t think he was winning the Davey O’Brien Award while faking the fullback dive and running down the line with Lydell Carter or Spencer Tillman on his hip. He did the right thing for himself and ultimately OK by leaving.

Troy was team oriented. That’s why he got so hot at the coaching staff, wasn’t so much directly at the players, for not disciplining stupid and lazy on field and off-the-field antics. There’s some quality tape of him on the sidelines questioning the purpose of multiple coaches and he knew it filtered from the top down. I can only imagine what some of the closed door conversations were like.

After Jimmy, this guy had to answer questions about being gay and treating black athletes different than white ones. Nothing was done by Barry or Jerry to squash this crap. In fact, Barry basically fanned the flames cuz he knew his relationship with Troy sucked and he was in self-preservation mode.

With the writing on the wall that this team was headed toward the 1-15 crap it once was, where Troy took a daily ***-beating, is it any wonder he wanted out.

And

He was encouraged to go to UCLA by Switzer who actually called the UCLA HC on Troy’s behalf. This was detailed in the Troy Aikman episode of “A Football “Life”.

I said that was fine , do what you need to do to benefit yourself. Just don't try to LATER act as if you always are this selfless guy , especially when you continually throw your contemporaries under the Bus.

 

[CT Dal Fan]

Would you prefer that Troy stayed in Oklahoma after they switched from the I-formation back to the wishbone following Aikman breaking his ankle? Don’t think he was winning the Davey O’Brien Award while faking the fullback dive and running down the line with Lydell Carter or Spencer Tillman on his hip. He did the right thing for himself and ultimately OK by leaving.

Troy was team oriented. That’s why he got so hot at the coaching staff, wasn’t so much directly at the players, for not disciplining stupid and lazy on field and off-the-field antics. There’s some quality tape of him on the sidelines questioning the purpose of multiple coaches and he knew it filtered from the top down. I can only imagine what some of the closed door conversations were like.

After Jimmy, this guy had to answer questions about being gay and treating black athletes different than white ones. Nothing was done by Barry or Jerry to squash this crap. In fact, Barry basically fanned the flames cuz he knew his relationship with Troy sucked and he was in self-preservation mode.

With the writing on the wall that this team was headed toward the 1-15 crap it once was, where Troy took a daily ***-beating, is it any wonder he wanted out.

The NFL Films clips of him during a 1997 preseason game against the Rams illustrates everything you just said. Troy was yelling at QB's coach Jack Reilly that the staff kept coddling players and telling them "good job" when all they were doing was screwing up. Aikman was tired of having to play quarterback AND be a coach AND be the "bad guy" all of the time.

The circus atmosphere destroyed the dynasty more than old age and free agency. The Cowboys actually did a very good job keeping the core intact. It's just that everything else was a joke and Aikman recognized it.

 

[Mr_Slicky]

Troy retired not because of concussions but because of his back. I

At the end, Aikman could not handle the normal punishment an NFL qb takes. I think in his mind he is in denial a little bit about his physical condition.

I remember reading a long time ago that Aikman said people believed it was concussions that made him retire, but he said it was really his back. Everyone knew he did not get along with Switzer.

 

[Big D]

All you old heads let nostalgia glasses taint your memories. Dude had one of the greatest teams ever assembled HOFers and all pros everywhere, but sure let’s act like he carried a subpar team to 3 championships. Whooo aikman

 

[GINeric]

Nope, it ended when Jimmy left.

No it didn't. We went to the NFCCG and won the Superbowl the following year after the NFCCG loss. We almost won 2 rings without Jimmy.