The most popular NFL color commentator to date, Troy Aikman, dropped a bombshell story ahead of the 2023 season opener between the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions on Thursday night.
Aikman, who won three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys in the '90s, now serves as the lead voice for ESPN's Monday Night Football with Joe Buck. Prior to trading in the pigskin for the broadcast boost, the former UCLA quarterback had aspirations of keeping his football playing career afloat for a little while longer.
In an interview with ESPN's Adam Schefter, Aikman said past coaching ties nearly led him to play for the Miami Dolphins in 2003.
Troy Aikman nearly turned the NFL upside down in 2003
"I had a chance initially, and I was gonna do it quite honestly," Aikman said. "I was going to come back, and the Dolphins were looking at me. Dave Wannstedt was the head coach. Norv Turner was the offensive coordinator. I had trained that offseason, prepared to come back and play. And they felt like they were a quarterback away from achieving what they wanted to do."
The Dolphins have yet to win a Super Bowl since back-to-back triumphs in 1972 and 1973, and despite a Super Bowl appearance in 1984, long-term success in South Florida had been hard to come by since Dan Marino.
Even with everything in mind, Aikman said he was grateful the transition to the AFC never panned out.
"So, I was gonna do it," Aikman added. "I thought, 'Well, I'll give it a shot.' Rick Speilman was the general manager (Speilman was the Senior vice president of football operations and became the GM a season later in 2004), and he ultimately was the one, I believe, that decided not to sign me, which was probably a good thing from their perspective. And it was a great thing from my perspective because they weren't a quarterback away. I think they won six games that year. They were not very good. It all worked out just fine."
Troy Aikman is synonymous with NFL broadcasting
Aikman has continued to showcase his consistency across the NFL spectrum, as he and Buck have been a broadcasting duo since 2005. Both Have been part of some of the most iconic moments in recent history, as some of which involved Aikman's former team.
Buck and Aikman will be on America's ESPN airwaves Monday night, as the Jets and Aaron Rodgers get an AFC East test in Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. ET.
