Troy Aikman Says He Still Has NFL-Level Arm Strength

Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman has said in the past that back issues ultimately led to his retirement in 2000, after 12 years in the league and three Super Bowl championships. His pure arm strength was never an issue, he says, and he believes even today that he has NFL-level arm strength. Him and Brett Favre, at least.

Aikman was asked about his final few games in the NFL in a recent appearance on FOX Sports Radio’s The Herd with Colin Cowherd, and what part of his body was first to let him know it was almost time to retire.

“For me, it was my legs,” Aikman said, via the Dallas Morning News. “People think I was never a very mobile quarterback. I was pretty mobile. I ran the Wishbone in college. I could run. When I got to Dallas, I scrambled a lot. Some of that was necessity. Some of it was just not really understanding the concepts of the defenses we were facing. As I got older, my legs got heavier and heavier. The other parts also start to break down on you.

“I had back issues. And that really is what led to my retirement. It wasn't head injuries or anything else. It was the chronic back injury that I was having to take injections for my last season just to get out there on the field and then I wasn't getting any relief.
Brett Favre, for instance. He still has enough arm strength to go out and play in the National Football League.

“I still have enough arm strength to go play in the National Football League.”