Troy Aikman has made his position clear: if Jerry Jones believes the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback could help improve the franchise, he would be willing to listen.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer has spent years working as one of the leading voices in NFL broadcasting, but his future beyond the current season is uncertain.
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With his ESPN contract due to expire after the upcoming Super Bowl, speculation has intensified over whether Aikman could move into a football operations role.
Now, his latest comments have given Cowboys supporters a reason to wonder whether a reunion could become a genuine possibility.
Speaking to Mike Fisher on the Fish Report, Aikman was asked whether he would sit down with Jones to discuss a potential return to the organization where he built his legendary playing career. His response was unequivocal.
"Oh, I absolutely would," Aikman said. "I would have lunch, breakfast, or dinner with Jerry anytime he wants it, and it wouldn't necessarily have to be because it's a job interview. We go back a long way, we've been through a lot. Our relationship is complicated, even he would agree with that, but it is one I believe that is built on respect.
"I would welcome any conversation with Jerry ... If Jerry came to me and felt in his heart that I could lend some services that would help make them better, I'd have a hard time not taking a good look at that."
Those comments represent a significant opening for a franchise that has not won a Super Bowl since the 1995 season. Aikman has not committed to joining Dallas, but he has made it clear that he would not automatically dismiss an approach from Jones.
Jerry Jones has already praised Aikman's football knowledge
The possibility of Aikman returning to the Cowboys gained momentum after Jones publicly expressed confidence in his former quarterback's abilities.
Speaking on Dallas sports radio station 105.3 The Fan, the Cowboys owner gave a strong endorsement of Aikman's football credentials: "(There's) nobody more qualified than Troy Aikman. ... I'm a big Troy Aikman believer in terms of his ability to get the job done. I don't know anybody who knows more (about) football."
Jones' comments suggest that he recognizes the experience and knowledge Aikman could bring to the organization.
The former quarterback understands the demands of playing at the highest level and has spent decades analyzing the modern NFL through his broadcasting career.
However, admiration alone does not guarantee a reunion. The Cowboys would need to identify a position that fits Aikman's expertise and determine how his responsibilities would work within the franchise's existing structure.
Dallas is currently struggling through a difficult 2026 campaign. The Cowboys entered Week 7 with a 2-4 record after losing to the Green Bay Packers, leaving them third in the NFC East and facing mounting pressure to improve.
Against that backdrop, bringing in an experienced football voice could appeal to supporters looking for changes beyond the playing roster.
Aikman's complicated history with Dallas could shape a reunion
Aikman was the first overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft, becoming the first player selected after Jones purchased the Cowboys. Their partnership helped transform Dallas into a dominant force during the 1990s.
Across his 12 seasons with the franchise, Aikman won three Super Bowls and became one of the most accomplished quarterbacks of his generation. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
Despite that shared success, Aikman has acknowledged that his relationship with Jones has not always been straightforward.
Their history includes years of professional collaboration, disagreements and the challenges that can arise when a franchise's owner plays such a prominent role in football decisions.
Aikman's description of their relationship as complicated is therefore particularly significant. Rather than suggesting that every past issue has disappeared, he emphasized the respect that he believes remains between them.
That could provide a foundation for a conversation about the Cowboys' future, even if the pair do not agree on every aspect of how the organization should operate.
Could Aikman leave broadcasting for a football role?
Aikman's contract with ESPN is due to expire after the 2026 season, culminating in the network's coverage of Super Bowl LXI in February 2027. He has said he expects to become a free agent at the end of the season and will consider his options.
His future is not limited to a possible return to Dallas. Aikman worked as a consultant for the Miami Dolphins during the offseason, helping the franchise with its searches for a general manager and head coach.
That experience demonstrated that his knowledge could be useful away from the broadcast booth.
A move into a front office would represent a significant change, particularly given the lucrative nature of his television career. But Aikman's comments suggest that the opportunity to help an NFL team improve could be worth considering if the right circumstances emerged.
He has also indicated that a specific title would not necessarily be the deciding factor. A consulting position, an advisory role or another football-related job could all be possibilities if both sides believed the arrangement would work.
For Dallas, the question is whether Jones is prepared to turn his public praise into a concrete offer. The owner has shown that he values Aikman's judgment, while the former quarterback has now confirmed that he would welcome a conversation.
There is no agreement in place, and Aikman has not announced plans to leave broadcasting for the Cowboys. Still, his willingness to listen changes the conversation around a potential reunion.
If Jones believes his former quarterback can help guide the franchise through its current struggles, he now has a clear invitation to make contact. Whether that leads to breakfast, lunch or dinner remains to be seen, but Aikman has left the door open.