The Dallas Cowboys are flying high after a dominant win over the Washington Commanders in Week 7. But now, their attention turns to the Denver Broncos. Playing at Empower Field, which sits 5,280 feet above sea level, brings a whole new kind of challenge. And while Troy Aikman brushed off the high-altitude talk as no big deal, not everyone in The Star locker room agreed.

Dallas tight end Jake Ferguson isn’t buying the idea that altitude is overrated.

“I’ve experienced it, and I feel like it’s a real deal thing,” Ferguson, who has his family roots there, said. “it’s real. I think it just feels like someone’s stepping on your chest a little-bit.”

Ferguson has been through it before and knows what separates those who handle it from those who don’t.

“I think, you know, if you’re conditioned, like if you’re conditioned normally, all it does is bring that extra, okay, I got to fight a little-bit harder to push through this. You know what I mean? Like, but if you aren’t conditioned and you’re in bad shape, then you’re going to be in for a long one,” the Cowboys TE added.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys’ coaching staff isn’t taking any chances. According to team insider Clarence Hill Jr., head coach Brian Schottenheimer is stressing hydration and extra care for players who might be more at risk. The team will keep an eye on guys with asthma and sickle cell anemia, knowing the thinner air can make things worse.

The Cowboys’ defense is already giving up 29.4 points per game and fighting to find consistency; this adds another wrinkle. It’s not exactly what you want before a tough road matchup. So, why does Troy Aikman feel this high-altitude concern isn’t valid?

Troy Aikman’s statement about Denver’s high altitude

While talking to Sportsradio 96.7 FM, former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman took a trip down memory lane, recalling his time playing in Denver. He shared that during his own games there, he never really felt any discomfort. But at the same time, he admitted not everyone saw it that way. Some of his teammates struggled to catch their breath.

“You gotta remember, as a quarterback, you’re not really exerting that much energy on every play,” Aikman reminded. “So, I always thought the hype was overrated. But then I have heard from other defensive players over the years that have talked about it as it being real.”

Still, he never saw the altitude as a serious issue. “I thought the whole thing about the altitude was overrated,” Aikman said.

Interestingly, the last time Dallas left Denver with a win was all the way back on December 6, 1992. And yes, it was Aikman who led the way, completing 25 of 35 passes for 231 yards and three touchdowns in a 31–27 win at Mile High Stadium.

However, even with that confidence, Aikman admits there’s truth behind the talk. “But it is real, as we know, and some players experience that far different than others.”

So, for the Cowboys, whether they feel it or not, the challenge of the altitude is waiting.