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Jerry Jones Says He'd Hire Troy Aikman to Cowboys Front Office
Confirmed
In Short: Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says he would consider bringing former quarterback Troy Aikman into the team's front office.
Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, has expressed openness to hiring Troy Aikman for a role within the team's front office. During a recent radio appearance, Jones stated, 'Yes. I could and would. It’s that simple.'
Aikman, who played for the Cowboys from 1989 to 2000, has been a prominent ESPN broadcaster since retiring. Jones praised Aikman's work ethic and football knowledge, saying, 'He’s outstanding. The answer is not that necessarily we’re going to do something more direct with the team at this time, but don’t rule it out. It’s very possible.'
Aikman’s current contract with ESPN is set to expire at the end of the 2026 season, leading to speculation about his future. Jones noted, 'Troy is very capable and he's so, really relatively speaking, he's in his youth as careers go.'
Aikman himself expressed willingness to consider a front office role if approached by Jones. 'So, yeah, I would welcome any conversation with Jerry. And quite honestly I don’t know if there would be or if there ever would be an opportunity,' Aikman said.
The Cowboys owner’s comments came after a conversation with Aikman before a Monday Night Football game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Jones emphasized his respect for Aikman, saying, 'We can have your ups and downs, but I think the world of him.'
Aikman’s role with ESPN has been under scrutiny recently, with reports suggesting tension with his broadcast partner, Joe Buck. This has fueled speculation about his future in broadcasting.
Jones, who is 84 years old, serves as the team’s general manager and has been the owner since 1989. He drafted Aikman first overall in 1989, and the quarterback spent all 12 seasons of his Hall of Fame career with the Cowboys.
The Cowboys have made the playoffs 10 times since Aikman retired but have struggled in the postseason, winning only four out of ten playoff appearances.
While Jones has not specified the exact role Aikman would take, he emphasized Aikman’s qualifications and potential contributions to the team.
Aikman’s current consulting agreement with the Miami Dolphins was limited to the team’s general manager and head coach searches earlier this year, indicating that any future role with the Cowboys would likely be more extensive.
Background
The front office is the part of a company that comes in contact with clients, such as the marketing, sales, and service departments. The term has more specific meaning in different industries.
What's confirmed
- "I don't know of anyone that's played or any part of football that has had any more success off the field than Troy [Aikman]. He is a successful guy."
- "This week he said some really kind things, which meant a lot to me, quite honestly," Aikman told Mike Fisher of Cowboys Roundtable regarding Jones (h/t Maske ).
What's still developing
- Aikman’s role with the Dolphins led the NFL to tell FOS before the season that he would be subject to the same team-access restrictions this season that apply to Tom Brady, based on Brady’s dual role as a broadcaster for Fox and a part-owner of the Raiders.
- “So let me make it real clear,” Jones said Tuesday.
- When speaking at this week’s owners’ meeting, Jerry Jones said ( h/t Maske ) Aikman would represent a strong candidate for serving an NFL front office on a full-time basis.
- By Adam La Rose | at October 27, 2026 11:40 am OCTOBER 27: During his latest 107.5 The Fan appearance, Jones answered ( via Maske ) “I could and would” when asked about the possibility of hiring Aikman in the future.
- During a Tuesday morning appearance on Dallas sports radio station 105.3 The Fan, Jones confirmed that he "could and would" hire Aikman to have a "significant" role with the organization during the upcoming offseason.
- For what it's worth, some think Jones could fire head coach Brian Schottenheimer if the 3-4 Cowboys miss the playoffs.