Ranking the greatest players in Dallas Cowboys history

The only thing that keeps Troy Aikman from going higher on this list is the same thing that sometimes gets him overlooked when discussing the greatest quarterbacks of all-time — his numbers.

Aikman didn’t have bad statistics in the least, but he never once threw for as much as 3,500 yards in a season and he hit the 20 touchdown mark just once in his career. Those stats are why he never earned a selection to the All-Pro Team, but he was still a six-time Pro Bowl selection.

Of course, anyone who watched Aikman and the 1990s Cowboys understands why he didn’t post video game numbers — it was because he didn’t have to. Dallas was a run-first team that dominated opponents with a powerful running game led by Emmitt Smith.

Both Aikman and Irvin were among the best in the business but they often played second-fiddle to Smith and that bulldozing line.

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The formula worked very well as Aikman led the franchise to three Super Bowls while posting a 94-71 mark as a starter and was an even more impressive 11-4 in the playoffs.

The QB did have a couple of personal accolades as he was the league’s most accurate passer in 1993 when he completed 69.1 percent of his throws and he won the Super Bowl MVP when they knocked off the Bills in January of1993. In that win, Aikman threw for 273 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions as his team embarrassed the high-flying Bills.

Since retiring, Aikman has become one of the most successful broadcasters in the business and is still a respected name in the league.