Chris Perkins: What is Troy Aikman's role with the Dolphins?

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — I like the move by Dolphins owner Steve Ross to utilize Troy Aikman, the Hall of Fame quarterback, as an advisor. It’s smart.

At the same time, I’m a bit confused on this whole Aikman/Dolphins thing.

Let’s start here: Appearances matter.

And it appears Aikman has been a loud voice, one of the loudest single voices in the Dolphins’ rebuild.

I’m a bit confused because Aikman isn’t on the Dolphins’ payroll.

Regardless, Aikman, whose undefined role with Miami is still evolving, said he’ll be at the Dolphins’ facility for the draft.

He was on the selection committee to hire general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan.

He was on the selection committee to hire coach Jeff Hafley.

And listen to what Hafley said Tuesday when I asked about Aikman.

“Troy has been a good sounding board,” Hafley said. “He’s a guy that I’ve talked to a few times. We’ve had some really good conversations, and I’ll continue to do that.”

I think it’s wise that Ross recognized what he was doing with the Dolphins wasn’t working and that he needed to make a change.

But I have other curiosities about Aikman’s involvement with the Dolphins.

Make no mistake, Sullivan is in charge of the team, the rebuild, and the day-to-day operation of the Dolphins.

But is Aikman part of a new four-man power structure that includes Sullivan, Hafley and Daniel Sillman, Ross’ son-in-law who is also an executive with Ross’ Relevant company?

Also, I’ve had people ask me whether Dan Marino, the Dolphins’ homegrown Hall of Fame quarterback, was leapfrogged as a resource. Was Marino disrespected?

Looking beyond the local angle, nationally it’s been suggested that there could be something shady going on here with this move by Ross.

There’s a lot to unpack here.

Aikman is an ESPN analyst, which could entitle him to exclusive information from teams that he can then share with the Dolphins.

Aikman, in a recent podcast with longtime NFL writer Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS Sports, said, “I think the Dolphins were wise in understanding my relationships around the league. And knowing that I have information that they don’t have or can’t get. And I think they were smart in taking advantage of that — whether it was through me or through somebody else.”

Information that the Dolphins “can’t get” is the key phrase.

To be clear, this is a NFL problem, not a Dolphins problem. The Dolphins are playing by the rules.

Much like the situation with Tom Brady, the Las Vegas Raiders partial owner and Hall of Fame quarterback who also serves as a Fox analyst, the NFL has to resolve this perceived conflict before it grows.

And I’ll add this: I’m not concerned about a conflict in Aikman’s dual role as an analyst/Dolphins advisor.

In the 2026 season, if other coaches and players are dumb enough to share exclusive information with Aikman knowing that he’s a Dolphins advisor, well, they get what they deserve.

As for Aikman possibly leapfrogging Marino, my understanding is that Marino, special advisor to the president and CEO, isn’t seeking an expanded role.

Again, the big thing to me is that it appears that Aikman is possibly the loudest voice in the rebuild.

You get the feeling that all of the biggest rebuilding moves — hiring Sullivan, hiring Hafley, and, perhaps, signing quarterback Malik Willis — required Aikman’s approval in one way or another.

It’s important to note, however, Aikman won’t be advising the Dolphins on who to draft.

Still, he seems to be greatly influential.

How did we get to this point?

Aikman said toward the end of the season he got a call “out of nowhere” from Sillman asking if he’d be part of Miami’s general manager search committee. Sillman, according to Aikman, had reached out to some people and Aikman’s name came up quite a few times.

Aikman said he’d been asked over the years about head coach candidates, but he’d never been asked about general managers. Aikman gave it some thought and decided to join the GM search committee. That led to the Dolphins asking Aikman to serve in the head coach search committee.

Aikman said he sees no conflict in his dual roles with ESPN and the Dolphins.

“I don’t have any ownership,” Aikman said. “I don’t have the influence, if you will, that Tom seemingly has there with the Raiders. It looks similar, but I’m not so sure that it is.”

Aikman said the Cowboys never asked him to serve in an advisory role. And then he gave the quote that could raise questions about his objectivity on NFL broadcasts, especially in games involving Miami’s AFC East rivals — Buffalo, New England and the New York Jets.

“But I will say that I’m pulling for the Dolphins because now I have something at stake, and I think they hired two really talented, wonderful people and I think that’s going to prove itself out,” he said, adding that 2026 will be a tough season because of salary cap issues. “… but I’m pulling for them, I want to see them do well because I feel like my fingerprints are on it as well.”

It’s an interesting dynamic between the Dolphins and Aikman, to say the least.

By the way, if anyone questions whether this is a rebuild, consider Aikman’s words.

“I’m remodeling a house in California so I know all about stripping it down to the studs,” he said, “and that’s what they’re doing in Miami.”

And, as Aikman said, his fingerprints are on it.