Troy Aikman was the star quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, who brought three Super Bowl wins to the team. However, there were times when things got intense after Aikman failed to convert former offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese’s calls.
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“Years ago in Dallas, I used to wear the headsets as the backup quarterback, and I would get the plays from Ernie Zampese and call them into Troy,” Jason Garrett, who worked as the backup QB behind Aikman in the 1990s, said on The Dan Patrick Show. “Troy and I are great friends. Troy and Ernie Zampese, as close as you can be. But if there were a third-down call that came in that he didn’t really like, and we didn’t convert it, he’d come over to me, and he would rip me up and down as if I made the call.
“Then he’d say, ‘You tell that guy upstairs.’ He’d stand there, and I’m the second or third-string quarterback, and I’m like, ‘Hey, Ernie, I’m not sure he really likes it. That’s what you’re going to tell him,’ screaming at me.”
During that time, Garrett was the backup quarterback for the Cowboys while Aikman started the games. The duo certainly share a good relationship. After all, Aikman even slammed the Cowboys for the way they handled the breakup with Garrett, who was waiting for the team to renew his contract, back in 2020.
Zampese was the offensive coordinator for the Cowboys from 1994 through 1997. Together with Aikman, he brought home the Super Bowl XXX win. And later in 2000, he came back to Dallas as their offensive consultant, working under head coach Dave Campo.
But even though Aikman showcased bursts of rage for questionable play calls, he had immense respect for the former coordinator.
In August 2022, Zampese passed away at the age of 86. It was certainly a dark day for the Cowboys community. And Aikman took a moment to address the news and send a tribute to Zampese and his family.
“Ernie Zampese was one of the brightest offensive minds in the history of the game – many of his offensive concepts are still being used to this day,” Aikman wrote in his social media tribute for Zampese. “He was my offensive coordinator in Dallas from 1994-‘97. One of my most memorable moments was winning Super Bowl XXX in Tempe, AZ in 1995 and Ernie getting the Super Bowl ring that had alluded his HOF career. A friend and mentor to so many.”
Aikman further thanked Zampese for the Super Bowl win and the countless memories over their four years together during his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction. And the fact that Zampese wasn’t there to celebrate Aikman’s entry into Canton truly saddened him.
Norv Turner, a former Cowboys offensive coordinator who brought them victories in Super Bowl XXVII and Super Bowl XXVIII, had a subtle role in bringing Zampese and Aikman together.
“I joked to Troy, ‘We’ve got to get you to get rid of that ball a little quicker,’” Norv Turner said during Aikman’s induction in Canton. “He didn’t laugh. In fact, he gave me that look he can give you that says, ‘Hey, let’s get to work.’ A few weeks later, we had the chance to go out in the field for the first time. I remember after the workout calling my good friend and coach Ernie Zampese. I told him, I’ve never seen anything like it. Few have had the great release, the unbelievable arm strength, and incredible accuracy of Troy Aikman.”
While Aikman’s fiery sideline outbursts might have terrified a young Jason Garrett, those intense moments between the Hall of Fame quarterback and his beloved offensive coordinator ultimately forged an unbreakable bond. Zampese’s mind and Aikman’s throwing arm certainly created a lasting memory that goes on even after Zampese’s passing.