Troy Aikman
The golden-armed quarterback who restored America's Team to glory, leading the Dallas Cowboys to three Super Bowl championships in the 1990s.
Born 1966 (age 60)·American football player·Birthday: November 21·Generation X
Biography
Troy Aikman arrived in Dallas as the first overall draft pick into a franchise mired in losing. With a calm demeanor and a surgically precise passing arm, he became the cornerstone of a dynasty. Paired with the bruising running of Emmitt Smith and the flash of Michael Irvin, Aikman's efficiency was the steady engine of the Cowboys' offense. He thrived under pressure, most notably in the playoffs, where his cool leadership guided Dallas to three Super Bowl victories in four years. His performance in their first title win earned him Super Bowl MVP honors. Though injuries cut his career short, his legacy is that of the quintessential franchise quarterback who transformed a laughingstock into a powerhouse through talent, toughness, and impeccable timing.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Troy was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Troy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Troy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Led the Dallas Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories (XXVII, XXVIII, XXX) in a four-year span in the 1990s.
- Named the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXVII after throwing for 273 yards and four touchdowns.
- Selected to six Pro Bowls and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
- Was the first overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft after winning the Davey O'Brien Award at UCLA.
Did You Know?
He was originally committed to play football for the University of Oklahoma before transferring to UCLA.
He and his longtime center, Mark Stepnoski, shared the same birthday (November 21).
After retirement, he became the lead color analyst for Fox NFL's primary broadcasting team.
“Success is often the result of taking a misstep in the right direction.”
