Troy Aikman regrets putting Jerry Jones in a difficult position after admitting he would return to the Cowboys

T roy Aikman 's uncertain broadcasting future has created fresh speculation about a possible return to the Dallas Cowboys , but the Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback now says he regrets putting owner Jerry Jones in an uncomfortable position. A possible return to Dallas would come amid growing scrutiny of head coach Brian Schottenheimer as the Cowboys ' disappointing start to the 2026 NFL season prompted questions about his offensive play-calling, leadership.

Schottenheimer 's record and offensive production had fuelled the debate as Dallas started the campaign 2-4, while defeats against the Carolina Panthers and the Green Bay Packers saw the offence score only 29 points combined. The situation prompted calls for Aikman to return to the franchise that gave him his football career and he recently acknowledged that he would consider returning to Dallas in a front-office capacity. However by discussing the possibility publicly and prompting questions to be given directly to Jones about the subject, the ESPN analyst felt he had placed the Cowboys owner in a difficult situation. "The last thing I want is – I was answering a question," Aikman said to Dallas’ The Ticket show. "And I think it's really unfair to Jerry that he then has to answer these questions. “As far as, 'Hey, would you bring Troy back, or would you have a role for him?' I mean, there's no real good answer that he could give." The pair subsequently discussed the subject before the Cowboys ' matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles – which Dallas managed to win to move into second place in the division. And Aikman said he wanted to make clear that he had not expected Jones to respond to the growing speculation as he admitted he didn’t want the owner to be pressured into answering the question. "We briefly touched on it just,” Aikman continued. “Because I felt that maybe I backed him into a corner that he didn't deserve to be backed into. He didn't ask for it. And so, we're clear on that. “He totally understood, and yet, he was very complimentary if something like that were to ever take place with the idea that we're not having those conversations at this time."

Why has Jerry Jones left the door open for an Aikman reunion?

Jones has nevertheless made it clear that a return for the three-time Super Bowl champion remains a possibility as Aikman’s situation with ESPN continues to factor into the speculation. A reported disagreement between Aikman and Joe Buck has added uncertainty and potentially drove a wedge between the former quarterback and the broadcasting network. And during his weekly appearance on 105.3 The Fan, the Cowboys owner was asked about bringing him back as the comments followed Aikman 's admission that he would be interested in exploring a role if he believed he could make a meaningful contribution. "The answer is not necessarily that we're going to do anything more direct with the team at this time, but don't rule it out. It is very possible,” Jones said as he continues to explore how to guide the team to the Super Bowl . Aikman has also questioned Schottenheimer 's emphasis on relationships and culture, arguing that an NFL head coach is ultimately judged by results as he made the point that positive relationships mean little if they do not translate into victories. The victory over the Eagles has helped calm troubled waters for the moment with 3-4 Dallas now one win behind in the NFC East to the 4-2-1 New York Giants , but Aikman still urged caution about treating one victory as proof that Cowboys have resolved its problems.