Troy Aikman is placing the blame on Jerry Jones for the Cowboys’ Super Bowl drought.

The former Dallas quarterback and current “Monday Night Football” analyst joined the “Dallas Dialogue with Dale” podcast in early August and made it clear he believes the franchise’s nearly three-decade championship drought starts with the man at the top, owner Jerry Jones.

“I think that teams and organizations, whether it’s sports, business, I think it all does start at the top, good or bad,” Aikman said. “I think it starts at the top. I don’t think Jerry would shy away from that. I think Jerry would certainly take responsibility. He’ll take accountability if and when they win. I think then you have to take responsibility when it hasn’t worked out. And it hasn’t worked out.”

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones listens to a question during an opening press conference at training camp on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif. The Dallas Morning News via Gett

The Cowboys haven’t won it all since 1996 with Aikman under center. 

Despite 13 playoff appearances since then, Dallas hasn’t made it to the NFC Championship game and has won just five postseason games. 

ESPN broadcaster Troy Aikman looks on before the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Kansas City Chiefs at EverBank Stadium on Oct. 6, 2025, in Jacksonville, Florida. Getty Images

“It’s hard to fathom,” Aikman added during the appearance on the show.  “It really is. We talk every year about parity and how we’ve seen teams that have gone from last to first and teams that have not been historically very good, and yet they still make a run. They’ll make it to a championship game or they’ll make it to a Super Bowl. And yet for the Cowboys, that hasn’t happened.”

“The Cowboys fans, they deserve better,” he continued. “I do know that. I mean, this is the Cowboys, the flagship franchise, and the fact that the Cowboys in 30 years has not made it to a championship game, let alone a Super Bowl. It’s hard to fathom.” 

The Cowboys come into the 2026 season having finished below .500 in two straight seasons for the first time since the early 2000s.