Aikman goes No. 1

Troy Aikman is one of only 14 players in the history of the National Football League draft to have gone from being the first overall pick of a draft to earning election into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
 

1989 - TROY AIKMAN, QB, UCLA (DALLAS COWBOYS)

How the Cowboys landed the No. 1 pick:

The Cowboys once proud franchise was in a state of transition. Dallas finished with a 3-13 record in 1988 which marked the club’s worst record since going 0-11-1 in its 1960 inaugural season.

Scouting Aikman’s college career:

Troy began his collegiate football career at Oklahoma before he transferred to UCLA. He guided the Bruins to a 10-2 mark and a win in the Cotton Bowl as a senior. Aikman’s performance at UCLA shed insight into his trademarked poise and character combined with accurate passing statistics. He finished his college career as the third highest rated passer in NCAA history.

Rookie debut:

After missing five games due to a broken index finger, Aikman made his first start against the Phoenix Cardinals on Nov. 12, 1989. He threw for a rookie record 379 yards in that game. He was knocked unconscious after completing a 75-yard touchdown throw to James Dixon that put the Cowboys in the lead. Aikman started 11 games during his rookie season. He completed 155 of 293 passes for 1,749 yards, 9 TDs and 18 interceptions. Like many QBs, it was a difficult transition from college to the NFL as Aikman and the Cowboys went through tough times in 1989 to finish 1-15. However, the groundwork was laid for the future dynasty team that captured three Super Bowl titles.

NFL career highlights:

No quarterback in any decade of the history of the NFL had more wins than Aikman during the 1990s. HOF Bio>>>