Troy Aikman has just taken a consulting role with the Miami Dolphins, and Stephen A. Smith is furious. Smith blasted the Cowboys for letting 'one of their own' get away without even making a phone call.

 “What the h*** are you thinking? You capitalize on the assets that you have. This is one of your own,” Stephen A. Smith said during an on-air session on ESPN. 

Troy Aikman, ESPN’s lead analyst, has taken on a role as a special consultant with the Miami Dolphins, contributing in an advisory capacity to their front office. His expertise could have aided their Super Bowl pursuit, as they have been on a Super Bowl Championship drought since 1996.

He then added, "You don't let somebody the stature of Troy Aikman get away to the Miami Dolphins. The bottom line is — you don't let somebody like him go on a podcast and say, 'Dallas never asked me to. Dallas never called me to.' He still lives in the area. He isn't hard to find."

This reaction came in response to Troy Aikman’s recent interview, where he addressed his dual role and the Cowboys’ approach. 

Speaking with longtime Dallas Cowboys writer Clarence E. Hill Jr. on the DLLS Dallas Cowboys Podcast, Aikman candidly said the Cowboys never reached out to him.

More importantly, Aikman said something that put all 31 teams on alert.

What Troy Aikman Brings to the Table

"I think the Dolphins were wise in understanding my relationships around the league and knowing that I have information that they don’t have or can’t get. And I think they were smart in taking advantage of that, whether it was through me or through somebody else."

What Aikman is able to gather through his role with ESPN. Every week, he talks to coaches, visits facilities, and talks strategies across the board. He will now be using the same data to help the Miami Dolphins improve.

And this change is all thanks to Tom Brady, whose role as a FOX Analyst has come alongside his Raiders ownership. While there were strict regulations and restricted access in the 2024 season, those restrictions have loosened in 2025, and perhaps encouraged more broadcasters and teams to come up with this role.

You can read more at the Dallas Cowboys Community!

Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar