Jerry Jones loves living in the past, yet he completely ignores the architect of his greatest triumphs when looking toward the future. Troy Aikman is officially lending his football genius to the Miami Dolphins, leaving the Dallas Cowboys to navigate their championship drought without the input of their three-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback.
Stephen A. Smith unleashed a blistering critique of the Cowboys owner, torching Jones for letting a massive organizational asset slip to South Beach.
A 30-Year Blind Spot for the Dallas Cowboys’ Family Business
The Cowboys have not reached an NFC Championship Game or won a Super Bowl since Jan. 28, 1996. Despite three decades of playoff futility, the front office remains a closed-loop system run by Jerry and Stephen Jones. Miami tapped Aikman earlier this offseason as a consultant to aid its general manager search, recognizing the immense value of a broadcaster who speaks with executives and coaches weekly.
Aikman later said on a podcast that Dallas never asked him for similar advice. Smith tore into that reality, blasting the franchise for failing to utilize a Hall of Fame mind hiding in plain sight.
“What the hell are you thinking?” Smith said on “NFL on ESPN.” “You capitalize off of the assets that you have. This is one of your own.”
Aikman spent two decades calling games for Fox before moving to ESPN. He travels the country, processes sensitive schematic information, and possesses a comprehensive view of the modern league.
Still, the Cowboys never picked up the phone. Smith pointed out the sheer absurdity of Jones ignoring a local resource who intimately understands championship football.
“You’re trying to tell me all of this time has passed and it never occurred to you that you know what, maybe I should employ one of them at the very least as a consultant answerable to me so I can steal knowledge from them,” Smith said. “It’s dumb that they didn’t do that.”
Critics argue that bringing Aikman into the fold might create an unwanted precedent, forcing the front office to entertain input from other legends like Emmitt Smith or Deion Sanders. Smith dismissed that logic entirely, noting that seeking outside expertise does not diminish Jones’ ultimate authority.
“No matter who Jerry brings in, he gonna take the credit,” Smith said. “In the end, you don’t let somebody the stature of a Troy Aikman get away to the Miami Dolphins.”
Pennies, Pride, and the Dallas Cowboys’ Playbook
Jones built a multibillion-dollar empire, but he historically hesitates to pay premium rates for outside front-office consultants. Smith directly attributed Aikman’s departure to the owner’s wallet.
“He’s a billionaire cuz he knows how to be cheap when he wants to be,” Smith said. “Maybe that’s what it was.”
BE AN NFL GM: PFSN’s Ultimate GM Simulator
The Dolphins recognized the value of Aikman’s league-wide relationships. Miami sought an edge and immediately grabbed one. They hope to improve on their 19th-ranked offense from 2025, according to PFSN’s Offense Impact metric. Meanwhile, the Cowboys continue to run the exact same insular playbook they used during the Clinton administration.
Dallas expects to snap a 30-year dry spell without changing a single variable in the front office. Refusing to consult the guy who actually threw the passes during the franchise’s defining dynasty is a catastrophic misstep. Jones can keep counting his money, but the Lombardi Trophies will stay out of reach until the operation modernizes.
