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Most likely it was a joint decision. Selecting UCLA quarterback Aikman with the first pick of the 1989 National Football League college draft was a no brainer. But Johnson gets credit for taking running back Emmitt Smith in the 1990 draft.

The Cowboys head coach was seeking a blue-chip linebacker such as James Francis from Baylor and Percy Snow from Michigan State. But both players were taken before the Cowboys could make a selection with the 21st pick in the first round. Although Johnson's priority was defense, he realized that Smith, a Heisman Trophy candidate from the University of Florida, was still on the board. As the head coach at the University of Miami in the mid-1980s, Johnson had tried to recruit the Pensacola-born Smith. So Johnson made a deal to switch places with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who had the 17th pick of the draft, and promptly selected the University of Florida star. As they say, the rest is history.

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Q: Was it Jimmy Johnson or Jerry Jones who drafted Troy Aikman?
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Related questions

Who drafted Troy Aikman. Tom Landry or Jimmy Johnson?

Tom Landry was fired on February 25, 1989 and the draft was conducted on April 23rd; therefore Jimmie Johnson was coach when Troy Aikman was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys


How could Troy Aikman be the last quarteback under tom landry if he wasn't drafted by the cowboys until April?

Although the Landry regime intended to select Aikman with the No. 1 pick in 1989, the team was bought by oil and gas businessman Jerry Jones about two months before the draft. So Aikman was the first quarterback of the Jerry Jones/Jimmy Johnson era.


Are Troy Aikman and Jimmy Johnson friends?

Yes. They had a good relationship and even did things together in the offseason.


Who did Troy Aikman replace in Dallas?

Your probably thinking of Steve Pelluer, who was the last Cowboys QB under coach Tom Landry before Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson took over in 1989. -- Dallas Cowboy Books Blog http://www.facebook.com/DallasCowboyBooksBlog


Do Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson get along 16 years after their split?

To some extent.


Did troy aikman play on the Dallas Cowboys?

Troy Aikman spent 12 years with the Cowboys between 1989-2000.


Did Jimmy Johnson conduct the Herschel Walker trade or was it Jerry Jones?

It was Jimmy Johnson's idea because he realized that Walker would never be anything but an east-west running back instead of the north-south type he wanted. Jerry Jones signed off on the deal.


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He was head coach of the Hurricanes football team from 1984-1988.


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Why was Tom Langry fired?

New Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones wanted to bring in the University of Miami's Jimmy Johnson as his head coach.


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When was Jimmy Johnson - bassist - born?

Jimmy Johnson - bassist - was born in 1956.