Glen Macnow - Troy Aikman: Hall of Fame Football Superstar

Troy Aikman Hall of Fame Football Superstar

Troy Aikman was regarded as the most NFL-ready prospect entering the 1989 NFL Draft. The Dallas Cowboys made Troy the first pick overall, but Troy ended up having a disastrous rookie season. But it was not long before Troy would lead the Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories. Aikman's leadership and hard work made the Cowboys one of the best teams in NFL history and earned him a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

About the Author

Glen Macnow co-hosts a sports talk show on WIP-AM in Philadelphia. A former sports business writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Macnow has written a number of sports biographies as well as other Philly-related sports books.

Troy Aikman couldnt believe his eyes. This is too good to be true, thought the Dallas Cowboys young quarterback. This is a sure thing.

It was the second quarter of Super Bowl XXVII on January 31, 1993. Aikmans club had a narrow 1410 lead over the Buffalo Bills. The Cowboys had the ball deep in Bills territory. Aikman called a play that would let running back Emmitt Smith plow through the Buffalo defensive line.

But as Aikman set to take the snap from center, he noticed that the Buffalo defenders were ignoring Michael Irvin, his favorite receiver. Yes, Aikman thought, this is too good to be true. This is a sure thing.

Thinking fast, he barked out signals to change the play. When he got the ball, Aikman faked a handoff to Smith. The Bills all went for the fake. Then Aikman dropped back a few steps. He lofted a perfect spiral to Irvin, who stood alone in the end zone. Touchdown! Dallas slim lead suddenly became 11 points. The romp was on.

Two quarters later, the Cowboys strutted off the field with a 5217 win and the Lombardi Trophy. The game was one of the most one-sided wins in Super Bowl history. Many players could take credit. Like Smith, who rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown. Or Irvin, who caught 6 passes and outran Buffalos secondary for 114 yards. Or Dallas entire defense, for having forced the Bills into 8 fumbles and 4 interceptions.

Aikman eludes the Bills pursuit during Super Bowl XXVII.

The biggest hero of all was Aikman. He completed 22 of 30 passes for 273 yards and 4 touchdowns. He was inspirational in calling the plays and directing his teammates. He was everyones choice for Super Bowl Most Valuable Player (MVP).

In the locker room afterward, Aikman was presented with his MVP trophy and the keys to a luxury car. Reporters gathered around, perhaps expecting him to brag. But that has never been Aikmans style.

Im a little bashful receiving this because we have so many great players, Aikman said. It really is a shame they have to pick one guy.

Well, thats football, Troy. Whether its fair or not, the quarterback gets most of the glory when his team wins a National Football League (NFL) title. However, when the team loses, as the Cowboys did during Aikmans early years, the quarterback takes most of the heat.

When the team wins, the quarterback gets the biggest applause and the shiniest trophies. So when the Cowboys won the Super Bowl in 1993, and again in 1994, Troy Aikman, a quiet, shy guy from Oklahoma, suddenly emerged as an American hero.

With his powerful body and wholesome good looks, Aikman appeared to be the perfect guy to play the role. During his playing days, he stood 6-feet 4-inches tall and weighed 220 pounds. That was big enough to bang heads with linebackers and still live to talk about it. His pinpoint accurate arm could hit a speedy receiver on the numbers from fifty yards away. His mind was so quick at reading defenses that Cowboys teammates nicknamed him Computer Head.

Those are the ingredients that go into this recipe. The final product is that Aikman led his team to two Super Bowl wins by the age of twenty-seven. Just two quarterbacks have accomplished the feat quicker: Tom Brady of the New England Patriots, and Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Both won their first Super Bowl after Aikman retired.

Indeed, Aikman seemed so perfect at what he did that you almost expected him to have a huge ego. But thats just not him. Fans liked to call Joe Montana magical with his late comebacks, to call Steve Young clever and elusive, or to rave about Jim Kellys guts. But when people talk about Aikman, they usually just say, Oh, nice guy. Theres nothing cocky or phony about this football star.

If you were to meet Troy, youd never think hes a two-time Super Bowl star and the star quarterback for Americas Team, said former teammate Nate Newton. He walks around like hes the guy who works on your car, or teaches your kids, or maybe just lives next door. Hes just a regular person.

Just a regular person? Okay, maybe one with a golden arm, a quick mind, and the cool nerves of a brain surgeon. No game showed his ability to stay calm more than that first Super Bowl win over the Bills. It came before 98,374 people at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

Although he ended up as MVP of that contest, Aikman got off to a rocky start. He completed just three of his first six passes. The Cowboys punted on their first two possessions. Some fans and announcers began to wonder whether Aikman was off that day. But Troy knew things would work out. In fact, he told his teammates, Dont worry. I feel great today. Were going to win big.

Even after a big play, Aikman never overly celebrated his accomplishments.

The touchdown pass to Irvin opened the gates that afternoon. But it was only one of many highlights. Aikman also threw a twenty-three-yard TD to tight end Jay Novacek, after fooling the Bills by faking another pass to Irvin. He again connected with the slippery Irvin on an eighteen-yarder in the second quarter. And he showed off his arm strength in the fourth quarter, heaving a forty-five-yard touchdown bullet to wide receiver Alvin Harper. After the game, Harper described it as the most perfect pass he had ever caught.

Two days after the Super Bowl win, the city of Dallas held a big parade for its champions. More than five hundred thousand fans gathered downtown to hear speeches by coaches and players. The one they most wanted to hear was Aikman. He was bashful in front of the big crowd and too embarrassed to talk. Teammates had to pull him to the microphone. When he finally spoke, Aikman said, No matter what happens in my career from here on out, at least I can say that I took a team to the Super Bowl. And we were able to win it. I guess there arent a lot of people who get the chance to say something like that.

Throughout his life, Aikman has been proving himself the best at nearly everything he has tried. Folks who remember him growing up back in Henryetta, Oklahoma, say that he could throw a strike to a teammate forty yards away at the age of twelve. In junior high, he couldnt find any receivers courageous enough to catch his bullet passes. While other fourteen year olds were dreaming about playing for their high school team, Aikman was doing it.

He was good enough as a teenage athlete to be offered the chance to play two sports. The New York Mets almost drafted him in baseball, and more than twenty colleges wanted him to play football. Young Troy finally signed as a quarterback close to home at the University of Oklahoma. But he got injured there and ended up sitting on the bench. Eventually, he switched to UCLA. In two years, he led the Bruins to a 204 record. As a senior in 1988, he was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, which goes to the best college football player in the entire country.