Many sports enthusiasts believe the quarterback is the most important player on the football field. He is typically considered the leader of the team. Former Dallas Cowboy quarterback Troy Aikman is one of the first names that comes up when a debate over who the greatest quarterbacks of all time were. He won multiple Super Bowls, was a six-time Pro Bowl player and in the 1990s became the winningest quarterback ever in a particular decade in NFL history until Peyton Manning's success in the 2000s. However, there were also many circumstances as to why he was so successful, and his statistics were underwhelming.
Star players around him
Aikman also had great weapons around him. Running back Emmitt Smith holds the NFL record for career rushing yards. There was also Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin, a five-time Pro Bowler who was nicknamed "The Playmaker" for his big-time plays in crucial games.
Incredible offensive line
A quality offensive line is crucial to a quarterback's success, and Aikman had one of the best ever, which included Hall of Famer Larry Allen.
Average passing numbers
Aikman's Super Bowl performances were incredible, but his regular-season statistics were fairly average. He had only one season in which he threw at least 20 touchdowns. He did throw 165 career touchdowns, but also threw 141 interceptions.
Not very mobile
Quarterbacks like Donovan McNabb, Steve Young and Michael Vick are known almost as much for their scrambling abilities as their arms, and this is something Aikman never possessed. Aikman had 1,016 career rushing yards, while McNabb has 3,109, and was still active heading into 2009.
Injury prone
Aikman suffered countless concussions, and had to end his career at only 34 years old. He missed 12 total games over his final three seasons.
Tags: career rushing, career rushing yards, offensive line, rushing yards, statistics were