Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman recently unleashed a rant about the current state of autograph seekers in the world of sports.
Aikman, a three-time Super Bowl champion and six-time Pro Bowler, finished his NFL career with 32,942 passing yards and 165 touchdowns. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
Even though Aikman is considered a Cowboys legend, he doesn’t get asked to sign a ton of autographs anymore. Instead, he’s usually asked to take a picture or two with his fans.
Whenever AIkman does get autograph requests, he claims they come from middle-aged men.
“I do still get asked for autographs, usually outside hotels when I’m on the road for ESPN. They’re all men my age. I don’t get it,” Aikman said. “When I was a kid, I’d wait outside the ballpark hoping to get Nolan Ryan’s autograph. It was always kids. Now it’s middle-aged men waiting outside hotels hoping to get a jersey or football signed.”
Aikman continued: “I’ve had parents walk up with an 8- or 9-year-old and say, ‘My son’s a big fan. Would you sign this?’ And the kid’s like, ‘Who is it? Dad, I don’t want his autograph.’”
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What’s next for Troy Aikman’s career?
As of this moment, Aikman is expected to be a free agent in 2027. He’ll call the Super Bowl for ESPN alongside his longtime broadcast partner, Joe Buck.
According to Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports, there’s tension brewing between Buck and Aikman due to their respective contract situations. ESPN has already reached a long-term extension with Buck, but Aikman remains unsigned.
“There’s probably a time and a place for all that. I don’t know if now is the time. I don’t know if it’s hard to figure out kind of what happened,” Aikman said. “I’ll broadcast through this season and I’ll be a free agent at the end of the year and kind of see what happens. I’m looking forward to whatever the rest of this season does hold and the Super Bowl and all that and where my next landing spot may be.”
It’s unclear if a network like CBS or FOX will reach out to Aikman during the NFL offseason.
