Roger Staubach didn’t even take over as the Dallas Cowboys‘ full-time starter until he was 29. Still, he didn’t waste a moment once he got the chance. He became the face of the franchise and earned his place on the NFL’s 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. And to this day, Captain America No. 1 remains the gold standard for Cowboys quarterbacks, including legend Troy Aikman, who publicly celebrated Staubach as he turned 84.

“Happy Birthday, Roger!” Troy Aikman wrote in his recent Instagram story, which also included a picture of him and Staubach.

Roger Staubach was the Dallas Cowboys’ star quarterback before the Troy Aikman era, leading America’s Team for nine seasons after joining the franchise in 1969. He played in six NFC Championship Games, winning four of them, and captured Super Bowl titles in Super Bowls VI and XII. Staubach retired after the 1979 season with an 83.4 passer rating, completing 1,685 of 2,958 passes for 22,700 yards and 153 touchdowns.

But after Staubach’s retirement, the Cowboys struggled to perform as one of the top teams in the league over the next ten years before drafting Troy Aikman as the No. 1 pick in the 1989 draft. Then, over the next decade, the Cowboys became a powerhouse franchise, winning three Lombardi Trophies in the 1990s.

Throughout this journey, Aikman and Staubach have grown into close friends, with the latter also taking on a mentor role for the younger signal-caller. Reflecting on their relationship over the years, Troy Aikman made a heartfelt statement at a Dallas Children’s Cancer Fund Gala in 2022.

“What began as a friendship has turned into even more than that, as business partners,” Aikman said, according to the Star-Telegram. “He’s been a mentor to me. He’s been an example. A lot of things that I have done in business a big part is because of Roger. He’s been the standard. I always hate when he says it, but he always says that I’m the ‘best quarterback in Cowboys’ history.’ We all know that’s not true. “He’s done so much for the people of this city and across the country. It’s pretty awesome.”

Besides Staubach, Aikman, too, remains an influential voice in today’s NFL landscape. After the 2025 season, the Pro Football Hall of Famer was named a special advisor for the Miami Dolphins as they look to hire a new general manager, and he has recently spoken about the franchise’s new head coach.

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Troy Aikman gives his honest thoughts on the new Miami HC

After another disappointing 7-10 season, the Miami Dolphins began their search for a new general manager, with Troy Aikman joining team owner Stephen Ross as a consultant. With his help, the Dolphins hired Green Bay Packers vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan as their general manager.

Now, two weeks after his job with the Dolphins, Troy Aikman spoke about the Dolphins’ new head coach, Jeff Hafley, who was the Packers’ former defensive coordinator. Aikman shared his interaction with Hafley from a production meeting while working as a broadcaster for ESPN.

“Our first production meeting with Jeff, I remember saying to our crew, ‘This guy’s going to be a head coach real soon.’ And he already had been in college. I believe he checks all the boxes, I really do,” Aikman said during his recent appearance on the Rich Eisen Show.

With his temporary role in Miami’s front office during the leadership search, Aikman may have taken his first step toward a new chapter beyond the broadcast booth. However, it remains to be seen whether these moves will help the team recapture its past glory.