Troy Aikman knows a thing or two about legendary quarterbacking. The three-time Super Bowl champion and Dallas Cowboys icon was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006, and still ranks in the top 10 in terms of career playoff wins (11) by a quarterback. Now he’s revealed his personal favorite among current quarterbacks, and not only that, but “maybe my favorite player of all-time.”
Aikman’s pick? Cincinnati Bengals star Joe Burrow.
“He, without question, is my favorite quarterback in the NFL,” Aikman told 105.3 The Fan, via The Athletic. “Maybe my favorite player of all-time, for that matter. … I just love everything about him, especially in today’s NFL where you just don’t see these types of players. He’s an old-school quarterback. He could’ve played in the ’90s. … I don’t know if he’s the best quarterback in the game today; obviously you’ve got Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes, but [Burrow] throws with anticipation better than anybody currently playing the game.”
The numbers support Aikman’s affinity: While Burrow’s Bengals are just 5-8, on the outside of the 2024 playoff picture, Burrow is enjoying some of the finest production of his already-storied career, leading the NFL with 33 passing touchdowns while throwing just six interceptions. He also leads the league with 3,706 passing yards and ranks in the top 10 in both passer rating (107.9) and completion rate (68.4%), on pace to set career highs in several major categories.
The No. 1 overall draft pick out of LSU in 2020, Burrow has missed extensive time due to injury in two of his five NFL seasons, but when healthy, he’s consistently registered as one of the game’s most prolific passers. He eclipsed 34 passing scores in back-to-back seasons from 2021-2022, when he also led the Bengals to consecutive AFC Championship Game bids, as well as a Super Bowl appearance.