Wed Nov 20 16:40:00 UTC 2024: ## Aikman: Cowboys’ Disappointing Season Echoes His Own Early Struggles

**Arlington, TX** – Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, speaking on ESPN’s Monday Night Football Kick-off, offered a somber assessment of the team’s current 3-6 record, drawing parallels to his own challenging rookie season. While this year’s Cowboys entered the season with high playoff hopes, their struggles mirror Aikman’s 1989 season, which began with an 0-11 start.

Aikman highlighted the team’s reliance on young players and a lack of free agency activity as key factors contributing to their downfall. The loss of key players, including offensive linemen replaced by rookies, and the failure of other young players to step up have left the Cowboys significantly short of expectations. The season-ending injury to starting quarterback Dak Prescott further compounds the team’s problems.

“A team that came in with certainly high expectations… that’s where this really began to unravel,” Aikman stated. The team’s inability to establish a consistent running game, coupled with Prescott’s absence, has left the Cowboys facing a steep climb to the playoffs. While acknowledging the players’ optimism heading into their Monday night game against the Houston Texans, Aikman realistically assessed their postseason chances as slim. He concluded that both players and management understand the team’s current trajectory likely won’t lead to a playoff berth.

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