Troy Aikman is best known as one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the NFL. He spent 12 years playing in the league, all for the Dallas Cowboys. He led them to three Super Bowl victories and has been named to six Pro Bowls, and is often considered one of the Cowboys’ best players.
He retired back in 2000, and has since transitioned to broadcasting. Recently, he gave a blunt opinion about one of the NFL’s annual activities.
The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine is ongoing in Indianapolis, with a variety of talents showcasing their skills for coaches and analysts to scout and evaluate. The best talents will find themselves franchises to get selected in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. However, Aikman had a unique opinion about the process.
Oct 7, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; NFL hall of fame Troy Aikman prior to a game between the New Orleans Saints and the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
The Cowboys legend, who joined the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006, questioned the Combine’s quarterback evaluation process. He spoke on the [Rodeo Time Podcast](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZh9zn-xAbA) and was asked what these quarterback exercises actually reveal about a player’s future NFL success.
Though he said it was important for other players, he had a negative perception for the quarterback drills. He said, “So there’s all this testing: quarterbacks, receivers, running backs, offensive linemen, DBs, linebackers, all that. And they’re putting them through a series of tests and seeing how fast they run this shuttle or that 40-yard dash or how many times they bench press this.”
He added, “And all those things are great, but especially for a quarterback, watching a pro day as I have, with a quarterback throwing the ball in shorts and T-shirts with no helmet on and just dropping back, no pass rush. I mean, that doesn’t tell me anything. I mean, it really doesn’t.” While he does not trust the validity of the drills, there is one other thing he values in an emerging quarterback.
Aikman was later asked in the podcast about how to be a successful quarterback. Being a Hall of Famer and 3-time Super Bowl winner, his advice was to keep believing in oneself and to keep practising consistently. He said, “I mean, part of being successful is just the repetition of getting up each day and doing it all over again, believing in the process, believing in what you’re doing, and getting up and doing it when you don’t feel like doing it.”
He added, “I know the world you live in, where most people are not willing to do the hard things and do them consistently. And so if you’re one of those who’s willing to do it, for me, it takes me back to, again, my dad. I mean, that was instilled in me at a very early age.”
Troy Aikman’s advice will be well regarded by the talented quarterback prospects at the Combine, who all hope to get a chance to impress themselves in the NFL.