The broadcaster, whose ESPN future is uncertain and who could land a Cowboys front-office role, named the 49ers coach as his dream hire.
Troy Aikman isn't just calling games these days, he's apparently drafting a front-office wish list. Speaking Thursday on 96.7 The Ticket in Dallas, Aikman said that if he were running an NFL team, his first move would be calling the 49ers about Kyle Shanahan.
"If I was in a position to hire someone as a head coach, first call I'd make is to the 49ers and say, 'How much is it going to take to get Kyle Shanahan?'" Aikman said.
The comments land at an interesting moment. Aikman has said there's roughly a 50-50 chance he leaves broadcasting after this season, and he's reportedly heading toward free agency without a serious offer to stay with ESPN's Monday Night Football booth. Meanwhile, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has acknowledged it's "very possible" Aikman takes on a significant role with Dallas.
That combination makes Aikman's public admiration for Shanahan notable, even if it's purely hypothetical for now. Nothing suggests Shanahan is going anywhere, and Aikman hasn't landed any front-office job yet. But if those dominoes ever fall, Aikman has already told everyone who his first call would be.