Overview
- Troy Aikman said on a Dallas podcast that the Cowboys' long run without a conference title “starts at the top” and criticized public Super Bowl talk as premature.
- The club responded in recent months with an aggressive defensive overhaul that replaced coordinator Matt Eberflus with Christian Parker and added veterans such as Von Miller, Rashan Gary, Jalen Thompson, and a Quinnen Williams extension.
- Quarterback Dak Prescott and coach Brian Schottenheimer have publicly embraced a Super Bowl goal and cited a successful training camp and a 17-7 preseason win over Seattle as early signs of improvement.
- The criticism traces back to the post-Jimmy Johnson era and centers on owner Jerry Jones' dual role as owner and de facto roster architect, a leadership pattern Aikman says helps explain repeated January failures.
- The coming regular season is the real test: improved defensive play could validate the front office's win-now urgency, while continued postseason shortfalls would amplify calls for structural change and raise pressure on Jones.