UCLA's Heisman finalist who became the first overall pick and three-time Super Bowl champion.
Troy Kenneth Aikman was born in West Covina, California in 1966. He initially attended the University of Oklahoma under coach Barry Switzer — where the option offence was not suited to his passing ability — before transferring to UCLA. His two Bruins seasons produced 5,298 passing yards and 41 touchdowns in a system that showcased his accurate, pro-style throwing. He was the Pac-10 Player of the Year in 1988 and a Heisman Trophy finalist. He led UCLA to the Rose Bowl in 1988. Dallas Cowboys selected him first overall in the 1989 NFL Draft. His 12-season professional career produced three Super Bowl championships (1993, 1994, 1996) and the 1993 Super Bowl MVP. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006. His UCLA career — two years after the Oklahoma transfer — represented the prototype for the modern NFL pocket passer: accurate, decisive and capable of delivering the ball in rhythm regardless of pressure. His college journey from Oklahoma to UCLA to first overall pick is one of football's better stories of finding the right system.
Pac-10 Player of Year
Career Honours
- Pac-10 Player of Year
- All-American
- Rose Bowl
- Heisman finalist 1988
- First overall pick 1989