As we close in on Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season, it’s tough to listen to Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman on the Adam Schefter Podcast and not wonder what could have been for the Miami Dolphins and how it could’ve changed their past.
Troy Aikman went on Schefter’s podcast with Monday Night Football co-host Joe Buck, and amongst all of the topics in the hour-long conversation, what stood out the most was when Aikman discussed almost coming out of retirement to play for the Dolphins.
“I was going to do it quite honestly,” Aikman said when asked by Schefter about the legitimacy of the story. “I had trained that offseason, prepared to come back and play … I was going to do it,” Aikman went on to say as he confirmed the legitimacy of the what-if scenario for the franchise.
Ahead of week 1, @Buck and @TroyAikman break down Monday night’s highly-anticipated Bills-Jets game. Plus, Aikman shares how he considered coming out of retirement to play for the Miami Dolphins.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter)
Ultimately, Aikman spoke to the fact Rick Spielman, the Dolphins general manager at the time, decided against the veteran addition and alluded to the fact that although some within the organization felt they were only one quarterback away from legitimacy, the team finished 6-10, and Aikman wasn’t so sure he would’ve made much of a difference that year.
A Different Ending for Troy Aikman’s Hall of Fame Career
Aikman retired and ended his career after playing 12 seasons in the NFL, all with the Dallas Cowboys. Aikman went on to win three Super Bowls in his time with the Cowboys, as well as being a six-time Pro Bowler.
Aikman’s career eventually led him to be enshrined in Canton, OH, at the Pro Football Hall of Fame as one of the game’s greats.
During his time in the NFL, Aikman had a career record of 94-71 while throwing for 32,942 passing yards and 165 touchdowns.
Aikman’s numbers were not gaudy, as it was a different era in the NFL, but he was the leader of a dynasty, a central figure in the re-emergence of the Cowboys franchise in the 90s, and the pulse of the team.
He helped pave the way for the Cowboys and the popularity they have today. A lot could have changed for Aikman and his career had Spielman and the Dolphins actually made the call.
Who knows what those early 2000s Dolphins teams would have looked like had Aikman come back, but for now, much like Aikman, the rest of the Dolphins fans can just look back and think about “what if.”
