Troy Aikman, a name synonymous with the Dallas Cowboys‘ 1990s dynasty, is more than a Hall of Fame quarterback-he’s a Texas legend. Leading the Cowboys to three Super Bowl titles, Aikman embodied a high standard of dedication and leadership.These days, as a commentator and a staple on Dallas’s Sportsradio 96.7 FM, he offers his perspective on everything from game strategies to the unique “culture” he experienced in his Cowboys years. Aikman recently weighed in on the challenges the Cowboys face today, comparing the team’s distractions and focus to those during his tenure.
Reflecting on his early years, Aikman admitted that when he first arrived in Dallas, the culture was anything but stable. “It was pretty rough, and rough really through much of the second year,” he said. Things changed when the team started winning, shifting the team culture toward a “winning culture,” according to Aikman.
The Cowboys’ legendary owner, Jerry Jones, brought big changes himself, risking everything to buy the team in 1989. Aikman pointed out Jones’s core strength as a promoter: “Look at it 30 years later… what the valuation is of the Cowboys and what he’s accomplished.”
Can the Cowboys overcome distractions to succeed?
The dynamic between Jimmy Johnson, the coach who led the Cowboys to those Super Bowls, and Jones was pivotal. According to Aikman, Jones and Johnson originally had a clear division of labor: “Jimmy would handle the football side of things, Jerry would handle the financial side of things,” he recalled.
But as Jones gained confidence in his own football knowledge, those boundaries blurred, especially after Johnson left. Jones’s vision for the Cowboys went beyond just winning games; it was about creating an iconic brand with unrivaled access for fans. “For most of those people that do take those tours,” Aikman said, “that’s as close as they’re ever going to get to the Dallas Cowboys.”
Jones’s enthusiasm for expanding the Cowboys’ brand went hand-in-hand with his decision to add luxury boxes and stadium tours, something that intensified after Johnson’s departure. “Jerry started taking seats out, putting in luxury boxes,” Aikman remembered.
Over the years, this approach has only “continued to escalate,” creating a balance between football success and the Cowboys’ immense popularity off the field. Jones’s approach may occasionally raise questions about the team’s focus, but as Aikman puts it, Jones is deeply passionate about making the Cowboys accessible: “He wants people to be able to feel it and touch it.”
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