Troy Aikman
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Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio fired a warning on Troy Aikman's plans to continue being involved with the Miami Dolphins.
Tom Brady has set a new precedence in the NFL as a high-profile broadcaster and front office member of the Las Vegas Raiders in recent years. It’s a precedence that fellow former quarterback Troy Aikman appears to be following.
Aikman shared on the March 11 episode of The Rodeo Time Podcast that he will continue to work with the Miami Dolphins front office.
“The Dolphins reached out to me and asked if I would help them in their GM search and head coaching search,” Aikman said. “It kind of caught me out in left field. I wasn’t expecting that. But I dove into it and decided I would do it. I thoroughly enjoyed it and felt like I was of some help.
“Where that might go, I’m not sure. I’m going to continue to work with them in some capacity.”
The term “some capacity” is a pretty broad term. But Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio was quick to point out the potential issues from the NFL’s perspective.
“There was a time when a plan like that would have raised eyebrows — especially if/when Aikman’s primary job on Monday Night Football includes a Dolphins game. But with Tom Brady’s dual role as Fox broadcaster and Raiders minority owner normalizing conflicts of interest that previously wouldn’t have been allowed, well, when in Rome,” wrote Florio.
“Still, Brady has limitations on his ability to enter facilities and attend practices. Whether those same rules will apply to Aikman isn’t known. If, however, he’ll be working for the Dolphins, it would make sense for the league to draw lines as to where he can and can’t go as it relates to the other 31 teams.”
How Will NFL Approach Troy Aikman’s Role With Dolphins?
Florio posed the most obvious conflict of interest Aikman could have with his ESPN Monday Night Football broadcasting job and the Dolphins gig. Should the Dolphins play on Monday Night Football this season, it’s going to be difficult for Aikman to remain objective.
After all, he helped pick the Miami general manager and head coach.
But it goes beyond that. With ESPN, Aikman has the ability to talk to star players and coaches across the league every week. He could eventually use that information, which is supposed to just enhance ESPN’s broadcast, to Miami’s advantage in the offseason.
For that reason, the NFL has “Tom Brady” rules for Fox Sports. The league might need to install similar parameters for Aikman and ESPN.
Aikman joined the Dolphins as a consultant in January. Multiple reporters indicated the former Cowboys quarterback played a major role in Miami’s offseason hiring process.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported Aikman was new Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan’s “biggest supporter entering” the process.
ESPN’s Jeff Darlington reported Aikman was “incredibly involved” and “completely committed.”
It’s not wonder the Dolphins want Aikman to do more. But that’s a problem for the Cowboys and the rest of the league with Aikman set to stay in broadcasting.
Could Aikman Work for the Cowboys?
During his podcast appearance last week, Aikman explained why he didn’t pursue a front office role earlier. The former quarterback retired from the Cowboys following the 2000 season.
But with a young family, Aikman said he pursued broadcasting. He then enjoyed it so much, he stayed.
The surprising call from the Dolphins, though, has the Hall of Fame quarterback reconsidering his future. And based on current league rules, he can be both a broadcaster and involved in an NFL front office.
In a perfect world, Aikman would return to Dallas to work for the Cowboys, where he won three Super Bowls. But other NFL legends now in broadcasting, such as Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe, don’t see that ever happening because of Jerry Jones.
“Jones wants the spotlight, and bringing in someone like Aikman could dilute it,” said Sharpe in January, via Essentially Sports’ Pratyusha Srivastava.
Publicly, Aikman and Jones appear to be on good terms. But Aikman doesn’t typically pull punches in his broadcasting job.
In September, the former quarterback was critical of the Cowboys ownership after the team traded Micah Parsons.
It’s not clear if that criticism or the attention Aikman would draw is the biggest reason he’s not likely to become part of the Dallas front office. Or perhaps there’s another reason.
But Aikman started working with the Dolphins this year, and that appears set to continue.