From quarterback to quarterback, Troy Aikman was not happy about the hit that landed Andy Dalton on the concussion list.
On Sunday, Dalton was knocked out by WFT linebacker Jon Bostic. The dirty hit led to Bostic’s ejection, but the talk of the town has been more about the team’s reaction to Dalton getting knocked out.
Some believe that the team should have physically retaliated Bostic for his hit. Even head coach Mike McCarthy was on record with his disappointment in the team’s response. When talking to reporters after the game, McCarthy was not just upset about the hit, but also how his team didn’t protect Dalton in the process according to Jon Machota of The Athletic.
“Mike McCarthy on no Cowboys players getting in Jon Bostic’s face after his dirty hit on Andy Dalton: “We speak all the time about playing for one another, protecting one another. It definitely was not the response you would expect.”
However, Aikman said that the situation was different because that offensive line was not “Dalton’s guys.”
“I played with guys who would have definitely reacted, have reacted in situations like that, but those were my guys,” Aikman said, via The Athletic’s Jon Machota. “They were there with me through thick and through thin and through the lean years and the great years. There was a lot of continuity.”
Aikman went on to say that the reaction would have been different if that same play happened to Dak Prescott.
“I think if this offensive line was the group that we are accustomed to seeing over the years, with Travis Frederick and Tyron Smith and Zack Martin, that reaction would have been a lot different. It definitely would have been different as well if it had been Dak Prescott.”
Thanks to the hit, Dalton is unlikely to play on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. Seventh-round pick Ben DiNucci will be the likely starter.
Troy Aikman this morning on @dfwticket on his reaction to no Cowboys players going after Washington LB Jon Bostic after his hit on Cowboys QB Andy Dalton: pic.twitter.com/H7mMzL78mk
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 27, 2020