Dallas Cowboys Icon Troy Aikman Makes Tom Brady Patriots Comparison

It's unfair - almost blasphemous - to mention Brady and most anyone else in the same sentence.

FRISCO - In Dallas Cowboys lore, few QBs compare to Troy Aikman.

In Troy Aikman's post-playing-career job, among his responsibilities is to figure out what QBs compare to Tom Brady.

The answer? Few.

The Cowboys get a chance to re-learn that first-hand this Sunday night in their NFL opener against Brady and the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Meanwhile, Brady's former team (with its six Super Bowl titles thanks to him) is obviously having to endure the same lesson - even as Aikman says positive things about Patriots QB Mac Jones.

“I like Mac Jones. I really do," said new ESPN Monday Night Football analyst Aikman, making the switch from his years at FOX. "I think he possesses everything you need to win in the NFL. He’s a lot like Tom that way, which has not been a surprise as to why he ended up in New England."

It's unfair - almost blasphemous - to mention Brady and Jones in the same sentence. But when the former Cowboys quarterback with three Super Bowl rings and 20 years of experience calling NFL games on Fox does ... it speaks volumes.

Aikman will get a close-up view of Jones and the Patriots twice this season, when New England plays in prime time Oct. 24 against the Chicago Bears and on Dec. 12 at the Arizona Cardinals.

But this week? A reality: New England opens at the Miami Dolphins. ... and the Dolphins are 3.5-point favorites. (Meanwhile, the Dak Prescott-led Cowboys are 1.5-point underdogs to Brady's Bucs.)

"I will say, and (New England coach) Bill (Belichick) knows this, I think offensive coordinator is the hardest job in football," Aikman said. "I think it’s the most demanding job. They’re hard to find. There’s not a lot of great ones. There’s a lot of them that have titles, but there’s not a lot of great offensive minds. So I do think they’re going to miss Josh (McDaniels). Maybe they already do.'' 

McDaniels, of course, has left the Patriots fold and is now the head coach in Las Vegas. So Belichick forges on, hoping that somehow second-year QB Mac Jones can replicate Brady.

"If anyone can overcome that, obviously it’s Bill,'' Aikman said. "He’s the best to have ever done it.”

True. But he did it with Tom Brady.

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