Does a quarterback make the team, or does he need the right environment to succeed? A New York sports radio host debated that conundrum by making a controversial claim about Troy Aikman. WFAN's Craig Carton argued on his Wednesday show that a supporting cast can uplift a decent quarterback to greatness.
He drove home that opinion with a hot take about Troy Aikman, a Hall of Famer who won three Super Bowl championships with the Dallas Cowboys in the 1990s. "I'll get killed for this. I think Troy Aikman was an average quarterback," Carton declared, via Awful Announcing.
"He had a pop-gun arm, but he played behind the best offensive line in football. Had the best running back in football at the time and arguably the best wide receiver in football, the best tight end in football, and a top-10 defense." Carton also wondered if another three-time Super Bowl champion, Patrick Mahomes, would be relevant if he didn't wind up on the Kansas City Chiefs. "Sometimes your success is absolutely built on what's around you," Carton continued.
"Matter of fact, I think it always is. If you put Patrick Mahomes on the Jaguars 10 years ago, you've never even heard of Patrick Mahomes." Aikman's numbers look tame when compared to modern quarterbacks playing in a league far more conducive to passing success. The six-time Pro Bowler posted fewer career passing yards (32,942) than Ryan Tannehill and trails the likes of Jon Kitna and Brad Johnson with 165 passing touchdowns.
But evaluating Aikman alongside his contemporary peers paints a different picture. He ranked third in completion rate and average yards per attempt from 1992 to 1996, notching the second-best quarterback rating behind Canton cohort Steve Young. Playing alongside Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, and Larry Allen certainly helped Aikman take the Cowboys on a dynastic run.
Still, the average label may be a bit harsh.
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