Troy Aikman Says 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan Would Be His First Call as Team Boss
Troy Aikman said he would phone the San Francisco 49ers first to ask what it would take to land head coach Kyle Shanahan if he ran an NFL team. The remarks come as Aikman's broadcasting future and a possible Dallas Cowboys role draw attention.
Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and ESPN broadcaster Troy Aikman said he would make his first call as an NFL team boss to the San Francisco 49ers to ask what it would take to get head coach Kyle Shanahan. He made the comments in his weekly slot on The Musers, a show on The Ticket radio station in Dallas.
"If I was in a position to hire someone as a head coach, [the] first call I'd make is to the 49ers and say, 'How much is it going to take to get Kyle Shanahan? Because I think he's that good," Aikman said.
He added that "coaching matters and it has an impact on an organization."
Aikman said he has been asked repeatedly in recent weeks about "any aspirations that I may have of going in a front office." He described the 49ers as well-coached, disciplined and physical, with top players who set the tone in the locker room.
It is not the first time he has praised Shanahan. In 2022, Aikman also named him as the coach he would love to hire.
Jones and Aikman
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has admitted that Aikman holding a significant role with the team is "very possible." Aikman is nearing free agency from ESPN's Monday Night Football booth, which has made the idea look more realistic.
The two have expressed mutual interest in working together, but nothing has been agreed. Jones recently said there is no correlation between paying a head coach and winning. Aikman's willingness to give up significant assets for Shanahan points to a different view of how to hire a coach.
Cowboys face the 49ers
Dallas is 4-5 after a narrow 27-23 win over the Indianapolis Colts. On Sunday it plays the 49ers, who are 7-1.
Jones has called the game one of the biggest the franchise has had in quite some time. The New York Giants' 24-21 loss to the Washington Commanders has opened up the NFC East race, and Jones sees a chance for Dallas to build momentum.
"I've seen teams win games that were struggling then all of a sudden that became the underpinning and the energy that caused the team to go from pretender to contender, so to speak," Jones said.
He had mixed feelings about the Colts game. "Bittersweet," he said. "The offense statistics are impressive. The defense played some great snaps. On the other hand, we had to have some help to get that win. Overall, we're not playing very good."
Jones also defended kicker Brandon Aubrey, who missed a 50-yard attempt against the Colts, although a low snap may have affected the kick. "I'd give him the benefit of the doubt on that," Jones said on 105.3 The Fan.
