Troy Aikman's release from the Dallas Cowboys shows their concern for his health and the financial situation for teams in today's NFL. No matter how great a player Aikman was at one time, the Cowboys could no longer afford to keep him.
|  | | Troy Aikman's exit opens the door for a Cowboys reconstruction. |
While Aikman was taking too many hits on the field, the Cowboys were taking them financially. After they assessed what he has been through the last few years, the Cowboys couldn't risk the $7 million it would cost them. From a health standpoint, the odds were increasingly working against Aikman finishing next season or the next few seasons. And he didn't finish last year, missing the final two games with his ninth career concussion.
Plus, when he played, Aikman was limiting what they could do offensively. As a coaching staff, they were concerned more about protecting him than they were about attacking, and that hurt their offense.
Maybe this was something the Cowboys felt they had to do for Aikman because it would have been hard for him to walk away from the game after 12 seasons. But he reportedly still has a desire to play. And this move could create an even greater desire for Aikman to play.
Unfortunately, with his injury, nothing he can do in the offseason is going to help. There's no exercise or conditioning he can do to help his head and alleviate the possibility of taking shots to the head that could end his career and threaten his life. It's a high-risk possibility.
In the perfect world of Chargers offensive coordinator Norv Turner, Aikman would join him in San Diego. Aikman understands Turner's system from their days together in Dallas. If the Chargers draft Michael Vick with the No. 1 overall pick next month, Aikman would be a great tutor for him. But one can't forget what Aikman has been through and the reality of him lasting through a season. What's the reality of him being in a position to help out and fulfill his contract obligations?
With the departure of Aikman, the Cowboys are officially in a full-fledged rebuilding process. When the star quarterback leaves, the rebuilding begins. They have some good stabilizing factors, like a solid offensive line and Emmitt Smith, one of the best backs to ever play the game. But the passing game must complement the running game. A team can't just run all the time and be successful. And the defense is suspect, especially in the secondary and up front.
The Cowboys could hand the ball to Anthony Wright and hope he develops, but the quarterback position is wide open. No one has solidified himself as the Cowboys' starting quarterback.
It's a sad day for Cowboy fans and for all football fans. Nobody wants to see Aikman leave the Cowboys. I'd love to see him stay with the Cowboys, but that is the way of the NFL.
Merril Hoge is an NFL analyst for ESPN. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
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Troy Aikman talks about being a salary cap casualty.
Jerry Jones announces that Troy Aikman has been waived by the Cowboys.