Troy Aikman: Year-by Year

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(From Dallas Cowboys Press Guide)

1994

Amid changes at head coach and offensive coordinator, Aikman proved to be the same in 1994, earning selection to the Pro Bowl for the fourth consecutive season, finishing second in the NFL in both completion percentage (64.5%) and average yards per attempt (7.41) and posting a quarterback rating of 84.9 - good for fifth in the league.

Aikman opened the year at Pittsburgh (9/4) by completing 21 of 32 passes for 245 yards and a touchdown in the Cowboys' 26-9 victory, guiding Dallas to its first win in Pittsburgh since 1969.

Two weeks later in a Monday night overtime loss to Detroit, Aikman completed a season-high 26 passes on 39 attempts, including his 2,000th career attempt. Against former Dallas Offensive Coordinator Norv Turner and the Washington Redskins (10/2), he was 20 of 28 (71.4%) for 181 yards and a touchdown in the 34-7 win, which included a club-record tying 24 second-quarter points.

Aikman continued his hot streak the following week against Arizona (10/() when he was 16 of 22 (72.7%) for 231 yards (10.5 yards per attempt) and two touchdowns, earning NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. He led Dallas to touchdowns on the first three possessions, and on eight drives, he guided the Cowboys to 31 points, including one missed field goal, before leaving the game in the third quarter.

When Aikman completed two touchdown passes against Philadelphia (10/16), it marked the 13th consecutive game he had completed a touchdown pass, breaking the club record of 12 set by Don Meredith (1965-66) and Roger Staubach (1977-78).

Aikman narrowly extended his mark to 14 games at Arizona (10/23), tossing a 15-yard scoring pass after suffering a concussion during the game's opening drive. After a hit by Wilber Marshall, Aikman stayed in the game and threw the scoring pass before coming out of the game for good. He returned to action at Cincinnati (10/30) and recorded his third two-touchdown pass game of the year while throwing for 272 yards, moving him past the 15,000 yard mark in passing yardage for his career. He also led Dallas to a fourth-quarter field goal with 5:00 remaining to win the game 23-20, marking the 12th time in his career he has led Dallas to victory when the team was tied or behind in the fourth quarter.

Aikman opened November by completing a season-high 79.2 percent of his passes (19 of 24) against the N.Y. Giants (11/7). He also ran for a score, his first rushing touchdown since Oct. 25, 1992, at the L.A. Raiders. When Dallas traveled to San Francisco (11/13), Aikman recorded season-highs with 42 pass attempts and 339 yards passing (the second-highest yardage total of his career), including a career-long 90-yard pass to Alvin Harper. Aikman kept Dallas in the game up to the final possession in a 21-14 loss, but along the way, his club record streak with a touchdown pass was snapped at 16 games.

Dallas bounced back the next week against Washington (11/20) when Aikman completed 8 of 13 passes for 87 yards before suffereing a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee in the second quarter when tackled by Ken Harvey. When he sat out against Green Bay (11/24) and Philadelphia (12/4), it marked his first missed starts in 20 games, dating back to Nov. 21, 1993.

He returned to the lineup against Cleveland (12/20) and, after guiding Dallas to one fourth quarter touchdown, had the Cowboys on the Browns' one-yard line when time ran out in a 19-14 loss. After completing 75% of his passes (21 of 28) at New Orleans in a Monday night victory (12/19), Aikman saw limited first half action in the cold and rain against the Giants (12/24) in the season finale.

Aikman finished the season with 1,424 career completions to rank third on the club's all-time list behind Danny White (1,761) and Roger Staubach (1,685). Following the regular season, Aikman posted the two most impressing passing days in playoff history. In the Divisional Playoff Game against Green Bay (1/8/95), Aikman connected with Harper for an NFL postseason record 94-yard touchdown toss. It was the longest play from scrimmage in NFL postseason history. He also set Dallas records for passing yards (337) and completion percentage (76.7% on 23 of 30 passing) in a playoff game as the Cowboys posted a 35-9 win.

The following week at San Francisco (1/15/95) in the NFC Championship Game, he broke his week-old mark by throwing for 380 yards, and his 53 attempts tied a club playoff record. Both his attempts and yards were career highs (regular-season or postseason), and he also established NFC Championship Game records for attempts, completions and passing yards.

Despite a 38-28 loss, that game, more than any other, marks Aikman's toughness and competitive drive. Down 21-0 midway through the first quarter, Aikman brought the Cowboys back and nearly engineered one of the greatest comebacks in Dallas history.

The NFL career postseason record holder for completion percentage (68.9) and average gain per attempt (8.56), Aikman has the second highest postseason quarterback rating in NFL history at 103.8, trailing Bart Starr's 104.8 mark.

Six seasons into his career, Aikman also has the four highest single-game playoff completion percentages in club history and the club record for postseason career 300-yard passing days with four, one shy of the NFL record of five held by Dan Fouts and Joe Montana.