Super Bowl wasn’t Troy Aikman’s first rodeo. Super Bowl trips have happened often for him both during his playing career and his career as a broadcaster. Aikman quarterbacked the Dallas Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories. While he was when of the best signal-callers of his generation, his reputation in the broadcast booth has been just as successful. Him and play-by-play extraordinaire, Joe Buck have teamed up to become one of the NFL’s best broadcast team’s, working for Fox Sports. Theresa Villano had a chance to sit down with Aikmen to talk about his Super Bowl week.
PPI: You’re announcing the game, and have been to many, many Super Bowls. What makes this one different?
Aikman: The fact its in New York, in the media capital of the world. It’s exciting, this game is going to have attention no matter where it’s played, but, I think being here in New York it’s just a bigger stage; it just is. This [is] bigger than it’s been for us when we’ve done games in the past. And, the fact that it’s a historical game since it’s been the first outdoor, cold-weather Super Bowl, which is fun too. There are a lot of things that are making this one pretty special.
PPI: Even though you are commentating, is there any player that you’ve been following their season, their year that’s in the game on Sunday?
Aikman: Not really. Surprisingly, Fox [Sports] could only have Denver twice during the regular cause they’re an AFC team. We had them both times there were on Fox. We being, Joe [Buck] and I, called the number one crew called those games. And then Seattle, I only had once in the regular season, I had them in post season. So, they weren’t a team like Green Bay or like San Francisco that we had a lot during the regular season. So, we have two teams that we really have not been following that closely through the regular season. [We] certainly have during the post season. But, I think it’s pretty exciting. There’s a lot of great story lines, it’s going to be a wonderfully played game. Of course Peyton, I keep referring to him as NFL royalty. He’s been such a great ambassador of this game and of this league; the whole Manning family has been. Russell [Wilson], he will be that guy and he has been that guy, people just don’t know about it yet. They’re learning more about him because of what he’s done last year in the post season and this year. But, this is a game that elevates your platform and more, and more people are going to get a chance to see how special this young guy is. He’s a remarkable person and a great player.
PPI: Former NFL players are kind of like a fraternity. What guys do you hang out with?
Aikman: I have guys that I see from time-to-time that I played against. I see John Elway because of his involvement with the Broncos. I see [Dan]Marino, him being in broadcasting we cross paths and we will. I saw Chris Carter earlier. In Dallas, Daryl Johnson’s daughter goes to school with my daughter so I see him a lot.
PPI: Do you guys pack lunches together?
Aikman: No, no we don’t do that. I probably do a better pancake I know, I have a lot of experience at that.
PPI: Chocolate ? Banana?
Aikman: No, just Buttermilk. We just keep it simple. I can do eggs over easy too. Daryl probably can’t. He was a fullback, he wasn’t real graceful.
PPI: You family is a huge part of your life. Are they here this weekend and celebrating?
Aikman: My daughter is coming in on Saturday. She’s been to the Super Bowl before when it was in Dallas three years ago. My other daughter, she’s in 6th grade, she’s going on a field trip on Sunday to Washington D.C. She won’t be here, She’ll be off to the nation’s capital looking at monuments. But, they’ll be here and they’re excited about it.
