Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach weren’t just Cowboys quarterbacks. Ones with a mentor and role model relationship. They were basically the founding fathers of Dallas football royalty. Staubach, Mr. Clutch himself, and Aikman, the ‘90s cool-headed assassin, had a relationship built on real talk. “He’s been really helpful to me because it’s hard for people to understand what it’s like,” Aikman once said about Staubach. And honestly, when it’s Super Bowl-or-bust every single year, you need someone who’s taken those same hits.

So, how did this QB brotherhood lead to Danny Amendola sneaking into the NFL through the Cowboys’ back door? Picture this: a random flag football game at SMU. Troy’s slinging passes. So, a young Danny, fresh off Texas Tech, sees it as his opportunity to impress and pulls off a ridiculous one-handed snag in traffic. Aikman throws it; Amendola grabs it. Somewhere, angels (and scouts) sang. Roger Staubach saw the whole thing unfold because his son was there in the mix as well. And that’s how Danny became the undrafted pick for Dallas.

Appearing on Julian Edelman‘s Games with Names Podcast, Amendola revealed how Roger opened the league’s dream door for him. “I went from Lubbock, TX, where Texas Tech is, to Dallas to play in a flag football game. Troy Aikman was there and Roger Staubach’s kid was there. We were at SMU just throwing the ball around,” the ex-WR recalled. Casual, maybe…

But let’s cue the moment that changed everything: “We were doing like some 3-on-3, 4-on-4 type stuff, and I ran a post,” Amendola said. “And Troy Aikman threw the ball over my head, I ended up having a one-handed catch for like a TD.” That’s when, “Roger Staubach saw that and he was like, ‘Dude, you’re coming out of college? We’re gonna try to… Well, I’m gonna do my best.'”

Did Roger deliver? Oh, you better believe it. Fast forward past the NFL Draft —undrafted, but no worries — and then, the Cowboys called. Jerry Jones didn’t just wake up one morning and decide to scout flag football heroes; Staubach and Aikman leaned on their gold-jacket clout.

But why was Staubach’s word still gospel in Jerry Jones’ castle long after he had hung up his cleats? Because, despite the rocky end to the Tom Landry era and the birth of Jerry’s empire, Staubach never stopped being a Cowboy through and through. In 2018, Staubach told Brad Sham, “I’m a Dallas Cowboy. That’s the only team I played for. They were great to me and… I pull for Jerry and the Cowboys every day.” Sure, he didn’t love how Landry was pushed out, but loyalty to the star on the helmet never faded. When Staubach spoke, even the big boss upstairs had to listen, and sometimes, according to JJ’s mood, act.

Now, if you think Roger did all the heavy lifting for Amendola, think again. Staubach had the keys, but it was Aikman-the newer knight in shining armor—who placed the ball perfectly where Danny could make that highlight-reel grab. Legends work in tandem like that. It’s almost poetic — the Old Cowboy and the New Cowboy conspiring on a flag football field to rewrite an undrafted kid’s NFL fate. And look, Amendola might not have been the perfect Cowboy, but he made the noise in New England.

There’s a reason why the Pats Nation still remembers him as the ‘Playoff Danny.’ 617 catches, 6,212 yards, two shiny Super Bowl rings with the Patriots, and a 13-year NFL career that most first-rounders would sell their souls for. Moral of the story? Never say never.

Even Troy Aikman got humbled despite being the No. 1 overall

When Jimmy Johnson took over the Cowboys in 1989 and Troy Aikman came in as the No. 1 overall pick, you’d think it was a match made in football heaven, right? Not exactly. Johnson, never one to stick to the obvious playbook, decided to stir the pot by drafting Steve Walsh right after. Naturally, Aikman wasn’t thrilled. And after a brutal 1-15 debut season, it looked like the Johnson-Aikman era might crash before it even got off the runway.

Years later, sitting across from Colin Cowherd on The Herd, Johnson didn’t dance around the truth. “No, it wasn’t always right there,” he admitted when asked about his relationship with Aikman. Translation? It was rocky — and not the inspirational kind. “We had a strained relationship that first year because I drafted Steve Walsh with a supplemental pick. And I knew Troy was our guy, but I wanted to take Steve Walsh because quarterbacks are so valuable,” Johnson explained.

The chess move made sense on paper — Johnson figured he could flip Walsh later — but for Aikman, it just felt like a lack of trust. After all, no QB wants to hear his coach say you’re the guy… while hyping another one on the side. And that 1-15 record? Yeah, it didn’t exactly patch things up either. “We went 1-15—that’ll strain any relationship,” Johnson said bluntly.

But once Walsh got traded, Johnson made a real effort to rebuild what he’d nearly torched. How did Troy manage to get the HOFer tag after a brutal losing season? Well, it is still one of the wildest comeback stories you’ll ever see/hear in football. Early on, it was ugly — Aikman lost all 11 games he started in his rookie year, and the Cowboys finished dead last. But the grind paid off. Under Johnson’s ruthless rebuild, the Cowboys started turning the corner, hitting 7-9 in 1990 and then stacking weapons like Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin to form the “Triplets.”

Aikman led an 11-5 charge in ’91, and by ‘92, he was throwing darts for 3,445 yards and 23 touchdowns, capturing his first Super Bowl MVP. Not bad for a guy they almost broke in Year 1. The rest? Pure dynasty mode. Three Super Bowls in four years, a six-time Pro Bowler, and a legend by the time he hung it up in 2001.

Guess that’s why in Big D, they are still missing those eras. Because back then, rock bottom was just the first step to royalty. Now, it’s just the Jerry Jones Circus entertaining the rest of the league.