Is there more to the story of Troy Aikman 'diss' of Chiefs star QB Pat Mahomes?
FRISCO - I've known Troy Aikman for 30 years. I feel very confident in saying he has nothing against Pat Mahomes. But I also feel very confident in saying he's very proud of the sacrifices made by members of the 1990s Dallas Cowboys who won three Super Bowls.
And that, I promise you, is at the core of his "clap-back'' tweet that defends his legacy.
The Hall of Fame quarterback and FOX analyst spoke out -- well, tweeted out -- Monday evening when it was brought to his attention that Kansas City Chiefs star QB Patrick Mahomes has, with 60 TD passes, thrown more than a third of the career touchdowns of Aikman (165) despite playing in less than 10 percent of the amount of games (165-20).
Aikman's social-media response?
"Talk to me when when he has 33 percent of my Super Bowl Titles."
It was the The Athletic KC which first made the observation, so it was naturally Chiefs-centric. And that's OK. The number is accurate.
But Aikman's reply is also accurate, and fully understandable, in context. Some are labeling this a "shot'' at the reigning league MVP Mahomes; that ain't it.
Aikman's greatest legacy with the Dallas Cowboys, to those of us who covered those teams and knew those teams, is sacrifice. Aikman's talents could've made him whatever sort of NFL quarterback he wanted to be. In particular, he could've been the engineer of a pass-first offense, and put up Dan Marino-like individual numbers. Maybe he would've won titles doing in that way. Instead, the organization and the coaching staff tasked him with a different job, a job that also featured running back Emmitt Smith and that was driven by an outstanding offensive line.
Aikman's passing numbers -- and to some degree his individual accomplishments -- don't match what some others have achieved. At this early stage, even Mahomes is one of those "others,'' as he's ranked up honors after just one year as a starter (and in Kansas City, looks to be on pace to do it again.)
Aikman's point isn't to throw shade at Mahomes. It's to throw shade at anybody who prioritizes individual accomplishments over team accomplishments. ... and to make sure observers know the difference.
