Troy Aikman is one of the most recognizable names and faces in NFL history. The Pro Football Hall of Famer was not only the quarterback of ‘America’s Team,’ the Dallas Cowboys, but has also served as a color commentator for Fox and now ESPN since retiring in 2001.
After a storied playing career and amidst a successful broadcasting career, Aikman decided he was up for a new challenge in 2026, joining the Miami Dolphins as a consultant.
Troy Aikman Confirms Continued Role With Dolphins After Front Office Overhaul
The three-time Super Bowl Champion quarterback joined the Dolphins organization to help find the next head coach and general manager of the organization.
After the team had settled on Jon-Eric Sullivan as their general manager and Jeff Hafley as their head coach, it was unclear if Aikman would stay on in some capacity, but he cleared the air on that mystery.
“I dove into it and decided I would do it. I thoroughly enjoyed it and felt like I was of some help,” Aikman said of working with the Dolphins. “Where that might go, I’m not sure, but I’m going to continue to work with them.”
How involved Aikman is in the organization remains to be seen. Still, he plans to stay on and build towards making the Dolphins a perennial playoff contender and bringing the organization its third Lombardi Trophy.
The new regime in the Dolphins has already made some significant personnel changes, most notably at quarterback. The team released quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, eating a $99.2 million dead cap hit, and quickly replaced him with former Packers quarterback Malik Willis.
Tagovailoa struggled mightily in 2025, ranking No. 27 in PFSN’s Quarterback Impact Metric (QBi) and throwing the second-most interceptions (15) despite playing in only 14 games. The former Pro Bowler has shown flashes of elite play during his time with the Dolphins, but when combined with his poor play last year, injuries, and the large contract, the Dolphins decided it was best to start fresh at quarterback.
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Their new quarterback has familiarity with this regime, having spent the last two years in Green Bay alongside Sullivan and Hafley. The familiarity certainly played a role in the Willis signing, who has played sparingly in his four-year NFL career, but has shown flashes, and possesses the physical tools to potentially be a great quarterback.
The former Liberty star played in 11 games with the Packers, starting three of them. In those 11 games, Willis completed 78.7% of his passes for 972 yards, six touchdowns, and no interceptions. He also carried 42 times for 261 yards and three touchdowns, while leading the team to a 2-1 record.
Willis signed a three-year, $67.5 million contract with Miami in free agency to be their starting quarterback. The team will rely on Willis, their No. 11 draft pick, and a young nucleus of De’Von Achane, Jaylen Waddle, and others to serve as building blocks for their organization as they look to return to playoff contention.
It remains to be seen how successful the new regime will be, but its imprint has already begun to be placed on the roster. Aikman, Sullivan, and Hafley figure to all be involved as the team looks to have a successful first NFL Draft and add a new crop of young talent to its roster, which it can build around for years to come.
