What to Make of Aikman's Most Recent Dolphins Comments

When the Dolphins decided to bring on Troy Aikman as a consultant, many people had questions. It’s not as if Aikman was a former general manager on the market, he’s a long-time color commentator who has been in the business since 2001.

Aikman had input in franchise-altering decisions, as The Athletic’s Diana Russini reported he was a big supporter in the hiring of new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan.

Given his involvement, rooting for this to pan out is human nature.

In an interview with Dallas Cowboys beat writer Clarence Hill Jr. on the DLLS Dallas Cowboys Podcast, Aikman said that he’s rooting for the Dolphins to succeed.

“I will say that I am going for the Dolphins, and I know that, because, because now I have something at stake.” Aikman said. “I think they hired two really, talented, wonderful people and I think that’s gonna prove itself out. Now, '26 is gonna be a tough season because of the cap… but I’m pulling for them. I want to see them do well because I feel like my fingerprints are on it as well.”

Now that the Dolphins have their general manager and head coach in place, that does not mean that Aikman’s job in Miami is now complete.

What Aikman’s involvement means for the long term

In an interview on The Rodeo Time podcast in March, Aikman said that he will still be around the Dolphins.

“I thoroughly enjoyed it and felt like I was of some help. Where that might go, I’m not sure, but I’m going to continue to work with them.” Aikman said.

Aikman did not dive into any specifics, but it will be interesting to keep a tab on how he stays involved with the Dolphins.

While staying attached with the team, Aikman also will continue to be a commentator for ESPN as he currently calls Monday Night Football with Joe Buck.

Before the games are called, Aikman and Buck usually meet with the teams’ coaches and quarterbacks in production meetings.

The Dolphins will be a team to monitor when the NFL schedule releases to see if they are selected for a prime-time game.

In the scenario that they do get a game specifically on Monday night, it will be intriguing to see how the league would monitor the usual process Aikman and Buck have with teams.

Interviewing an opposing coach and quarterback that the Dolphins are set to face after seeing Aikman’s comments probably will raise a few eyebrows around the league — especially knowing that both commentators see both teams during this process.

In an interview with Richard Deitsch from The Athletic in December, Aikman made it clear that he always tries to be even-keeled when calling games.

“I do try to be honest, and I don’t think I’m the Lone Ranger in that regard. I think everybody tries to be honest. But there are a lot of times where that’s difficult. The biggest thing that I try to do is I try to be fair. There’s that fan who’s sitting at home that has a real vested interest in their team and wants to see them win.” Aikman said.

This was before Aikman had any involvement with the Dolphins.

In the perspective of the fans and the organization, both are hoping that Aikman’s influence around the team with decision making will lead to positive results. However, there is another side to the coin that must be acknowledged.

With Aikman making it known that he will still be tied to the Dolphins and he’s hoping they succeed, it will be interesting to see how his long-time job can potentially affect his new gig along with the team.