Troy Aikman’s contract situation has him weighing his next move, and a front office job with the Cowboys might be on the table. Nate Newton warns it could backfire. Newton, who won three Super Bowls with Aikman and the Cowboys, alleged that the Cowboys’ top brass was a dictatorship rather than a committee.

“Ownership would eventually clash with Troy,” Newton said on the Cowboys Country Football podcast. “You got to understand, Troy has one tree; that’s the Jimmy Johnson tree. … Troy loved every aspect of who Jimmy was and how he’d done things that meant ‘I control everything.’ That ain’t happening with Mr. Jones. That ain’t happened with Stephen Jones. That ain’t going to happen. Miss Charlotte Jones. That ain’t going to happen with Jerry Junior.

“… So, Troy, I ain’t going to tell you where to sit your way in. But I’m telling you, try another team. That’s what I’m saying. Try another team… This ain’t going to be no committee, bro. This is going to be straight up – Not a democracy, but dictatorship.”

Amid Aikman possibly losing his job with ESPN after the Super Bowl this season, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has been upfront about possibly reuniting with the former QB. Per USA Today, Jones said he “could and would” hire Aikman for a position in the Dallas Cowboys front office. Aikman also brings experience, having worked as a consultant for the Miami Dolphins front office when they were hiring their general manager.

Troy Aikman has not jumped to accept Jones’ offer. For now, he has offered a measured take on his former boss’ bold claim.

“So, yeah, I would welcome any conversation with Jerry, and quite honestly I don’t know if there would be, or if there ever would be an opportunity,” Aikman told Mike Fisher. “But if Jerry came to me and felt that, in his heart, I could lend some services that would help make them better, I would, I’d have a hard time not taking a good look at that.”

Aikman’s history with Jones is another reason to be cautious about the front office idea. He hasn’t been a fan of how involved Jones is in running the team, and he has said so publicly, including when talking about his own chances of ever joining the Cowboys front office.

“It’s a real long shot,” Aikman said on1310 The Ticket in Dallas in 2019. “It’s unlikely Jerry will ever bring somebody in who can help this team in that regard because he’s been real stubborn and steadfast that he’s the one in charge.”

Troy Aikman said in March 2026 that he will continue working with the Miami Dolphins. Whether he is still affiliated with the organization is unknown. But being part of a front office has always been a goal in Troy Aikman’s life.

However, according to The Athletic, he held off on that dream of his to spend more time with his daughters after retiring from football. The experience witht he Dolphins did not bind him entirely, but it “scratched whatever itch” he had about being a part of a front office.

But on all these occassions, Troy Aikman had a job in the broadcasting booth. It had been a constant in his life for more than 20 years, ever since he hung up his cleats. He will now have to face the daunting idea of becoming a “free agent” after the Super Bowl coverage, he said on The Dan Patrick Show.

Troy Aikman’s ESPN contract runs out after the network’s Super Bowl coverage in February 2027, and he remains without a new one. His Monday Night Football partner Joe Buck has already committed to the network for another six years, which has been reported as a source of tension between the two. According to Puck, Aikman was not informed of Buck’s contract, which was reportedly agreed upon in May, months before it was announced.

Aikman has been in broadcasting for about 25 years, so staying put wouldn’t be surprising. When Dallas sports journalist Tim Cowlishaw asked whether he expected to be calling NFL games in 2027, Aikman didn’t offer much certainty.

“I would say there’s a 50-50 chance,” Aikman said.

For now, Aikman’s next chapter is a genuine toss-up between the broadcast booth and the Cowboys.