As the NFL world tunes in to see future franchise quarterbacks perform at the Combine, Cowboys legend Troy Aikman is arguing that the entire spectacle is a waste of time. He shared a blunt opinion about the modern evaluation process for quarterbacks. This happened when the Dallas Cowboys legend appeared on the Rodeo Time Podcast this week and spoke about the way teams judge quarterback prospects. In doing so, Aikman did not hold back while conducting the quarterback drills conducted during the NFL Combine.

“In Indianapolis, they’ve got the NFL combine going on,” Aikman said. “So there’s all this testing: quarterbacks, receivers, running backs, offensive linemen, DBs, linebackers, all that. And they’re putting them through a series of tests and seeing how fast they run this shuttle or that 40-yard dash or how many times they bench press this. And all those things are great, but especially for a quarterback, watching a pro day as I have, with a quarterback throwing the ball in shorts and T-shirts with no helmet on and just dropping back, no pass rush. I mean, that doesn’t tell me anything. I mean, it really doesn’t.”

Aikman made it clear that the Combine testing only reveals a fraction of what actually matters. In his view, players who reach that stage already possess the talent to play at a high level. Because of that reality, he believes the gap between good players and great ones rarely comes down to arm strength or raw toughness. Instead, he pointed to the situations players enter once they reach the league. Coaching, teammates, and the surrounding environment often shape how far a career truly goes.

Aikman also stressed that the most important qualities rarely show up during drills in Indianapolis. Work ethic, daily commitment, and the ability to stay steady through difficult moments usually decide who lasts in the league. Players inevitably face setbacks during a season, and how they respond in those moments tells teams far more than a timed workout ever could. For Aikman, those mental traits carry weight not only in football but in everyday life as well.

Notably, the Cowboys legend’s career reflects many of those principles. Before entering the league, Aikman had already built a strong reputation while playing for the UCLA Bruins. Over two seasons at UCLA, he completed 64.8 percent of his passes for 5,298 yards with 41 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. In 1988, he also captured the Davey O’Brien Award, earned consensus All-American honors, and finished third in voting for the Heisman Trophy.

Soon after, the Cowboys selected Aikman with the first overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft. He quickly became the centerpiece of Dallas’ rise during the 1990s, helping the Cowboys capture three Super Bowl titles. Along the way, Aikman earned six Pro Bowl selections and won MVP honors in Super Bowl XXVII. He also held Dallas’ career passing record until Tony Romo and Dak Prescott later surpassed it.

Later in the podcast, Aikman explained the mindset that shaped his own career.

“I mean, part of being successful is just the repetition of getting up each day and doing it all over again, believing in the process, believing in what you’re doing, and getting up and doing it when you don’t feel like doing it,” he said. “I know the world you live in, where most people are not willing to do the hard things and do it consistently. And so if you’re one of those who’s willing to do it, for me, it takes me back to, again, my dad. I mean, that was instilled in me at a very early age.”

He explained that the individuals who continue working even when they do not feel motivated are the ones he trusts the most. Because of that belief, he said those are the kinds of players and people he would bet on when making decisions about acquiring them.

However, while he is not happy with the way the NFL Combine works, quarterbacks showed what they have apart from arm strength.

Quarterbacks showed great potential at the 2026 NFL Combine

When the quarterbacks arrived in Indianapolis for the 2026 NFL Combine, they showed more than just their ability to throw the football. While passing drills often grab most of the attention, this year’s group proved they could also move. They made a strong impression during the speed and explosion drills in Indianapolis.

This year in the NFL Combine, quarterbacks ran the 40-yard dash in about 4.60 seconds on average, with a 1.61-second mark in the 10-yard split. Their vertical jump reached 36.9 inches, and the average broad jump stretched to 10 feet 1 inch. Those results suggest that the position continues to trend toward more athletic profiles.

Taylen Green delivered the fastest 40-yard dash with a 4.36-second run. Haynes King followed at 4.46 seconds, while Cole Payton finished close behind at 4.56. Green also posted the quickest 10-yard split at 1.55 seconds. King recorded 1.56, and Payton came in at 1.57.

The jumping drills produced another highlight for Green. His vertical leap reached an impressive 43.5 inches. Payton followed with a 40-inch jump, while Sawyer Robertson recorded 37.5 inches.

Green’s performance continued to stand out in the broad jump as well. He led the field with a leap of 11 feet 2 inches. Payton reached 10 feet 10 inches, and Robertson posted 10 feet 3 inches. King also showed his quickness during the agility drills, finishing the three-cone test in 6.89 seconds and the shuttle in 4.17 seconds.

So what does it all mean? While Combine numbers never tell the entire story, this group clearly brought high-end movement skills to the table. As a result, scouts left Indianapolis with a deeper appreciation for how athletic several of these quarterbacks truly are.