Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman did not mince words when discussing the team’s offensive struggles at the start of the NFL season. Days after Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had a heated exchange with Dallas radio hosts over questions about the team’s offseason moves, Aikman criticized the current state of the Cowboys’ offense.
Aikman, who played quarterback for the Cowboys for 12 seasons from 1989 to 2000, specifically targeted the team’s wide receivers, calling out their poor route running. “I think they run terrible routes,” Aikman stated on Dallas sports radio show 96.7 The Ticket. “And I’ve thought that beyond this year. I think CeeDee (Lamb) has got to improve in his route running. As a quarterback, if you’re not certain where guys are going to be consistently, it’s hard to play the position. That’s what I see. I see guys lazy coming off the line of scrimmage. Sometimes they run, usually if they do, it’s because they’re anticipating they’re going to get the football on that play, but if they’re not, they don’t. And it all ties together. I’m not impressed with that part of it.”
Aikman went on to compare the Cowboys’ wide receivers to other teams like the Baltimore Ravens, noting that they fell short in comparison to what players like Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman were achieving under Lamar Jackson. “It’s hard to play the quarterback position if you’re not certain how guys are going to run routes or where they’re going to be,” Aikman continued. “And I’m not speaking for Dak Prescott. Dak may say, ‘Hey, I think their routes are amazing.’ But as a former quarterback watching it, it’s gotta get a lot better.”
The criticism from Aikman comes at a crucial time for the Cowboys, who have been struggling to find consistency on offense. With their wide receivers under scrutiny, all eyes will be on the team’s performance in the coming weeks to see if they can make the necessary improvements to turn their season around.
