Troy Aikman almost demanded trade from Cowboys before building "Triplets" dynasty: "This is not going to work"
Despite not being among the most statistically proficient quarterbacks in NFL history, Troy Aikman is synonymous with success. The Hall of Famer spent his entire 12-year career with the Dallas Cowboys and led them to three Super Bowl wins.
It's hard to picture Aikman in any uniform other than the Cowboys' white, blue, and grey. However, he almost left the franchise before ever winning a playoff game with the team, let alone a Super Bowl.
In the quarterback's rookie season in 1989, Dallas finished with a horrendous 1-15 record. Aikman played 11 games and lost them all, a less-than-ideal start for the top pick in the draft. The following year, they improved tremendously and finished 7-9, but their sophomore star's numbers weren't impressive, as he threw 11 touchdown passes and 18 interceptions.
By 1991, the Cowboys had assembled an impressive roster, with Aikman under center, Emmitt Smith at running back, and Michael Irvin leading the receiving unit. They were primed to be playoff contenders, but 12 games into the season, they were only 7-5, fighting for a wildcard spot.
To make matters worse, their quarterback suffered a knee injury, forcing them to field journeyman Steve Beuerlein under center. However, the fifth-year veteran led the Cowboys to victories in their final five games and earned the starting spot for the team's first playoff game in six years.
He led them to a 17-13 win over the Chicago Bears in the wildcard round and was named the starter for Dallas' divisional round battle against the Detroit Lions.
The plan to keep the hot hand on the field didn't work, as the Cowboys fell behind 17-6 at halftime. They inserted Aikman into the game, but he had a more torrid time than Beuerlein, and they lost 38-6. After that defeat, the third-year star felt he needed to leave Dallas and start fresh elsewhere.
In the NFL Films' documentary about Aikman, reporter Randy Galloway revealed that the quarterback was keen on leaving the team after the loss to the Lions.
"After that game in the locker room I just happened to run into Troy. And he went, 'I'm gone. I'm asking for a trade. This is not going to work.' And I didn't know if he was really serious or not. So I went, 'Well I'm going to write that for tomorrow.' And Aikman went, 'Hold off. I'll call you Monday.'" - Galloway in Troy Aikman: A Football Life
Troy Aikman stayed put after crisis meeting with Jimmy Johnson
Troy Aikman presumed that his underwhelming display and Beuerlein's stellar performances meant the team would stick with the veteran and bench him. He did not want to be the backup and wanted to join a team that needed a starting quarterback. However, head coach Jimmy Johnson prevented him from exiting the team.
"On Monday, he calls and he went, 'Jimmy called me into the office a couple of hours ago. Jimmy said, 'This is your team. You are my guy. No more fooling around.' And that meant more to Aikman than anything. That officially started the dynasty," Galloway added.
The following year, a rejuvenated Aikman had the best season of his career and led the Cowboys to a Super Bowl win. He did it again in the subsequent campaign, as Dallas became only the sixth team to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in back-to-back seasons.
The Cowboys lost in the NFC Championship Game in 1995 but returned with a vengeance, reclaimed their throne in 1996, and became the first franchise to win three Super Bowls in a four-year span.
Aikman was the central figure in the Cowboys' glorious run in the 1990s. However, it almost didn't materialize, as the quarterback had mentally left the team in 1991.