Revisit Troy Aikman’s Scary 1994 Concussion – ‘Where Am I? … Did We Win?’ – KERA
Revisit Troy Aikman’s Scary 1994 Concussion – ‘Where Am I? … Did We Win?’
By Eric Aasen
Quarterback Troy Aikman during his Cowboys days. A 1994 concussion is featured in a PBS Frontline documentary.
This week, an explosive PBS documentary investigated concussions in the NFL — and it featured former Cowboys star Troy Aikman.
The Frontline program, “League of Denial,” reported on a concussion that the Cowboys quarterback suffered in 1994, as well as a scary exchange that he had with his agent following the incident. Aikman experienced significant memory issues. He sat in a darkened hospital room, unable to stare at light.
During the 1994 NFC championship game, Aikman took a knee to the head. Leigh Steinberg, who represented Aikman in the early 1990s, recalled the aftermath:
Frontline Narrator: Aikman’s concussion was bad enough that he could not return to the game. Aikman was taken to a local hospital.
Agent Leigh Steinberg:I went to visit Troy, who was sitting in a darkened hospital room all alone.
Steve Fainaru, co-author of “League of Denial:” The room is dark because Aikman can’t even stand looking into the light. It’s— you know, it’s this sort of surreal scene where the city is celebrating and the quarterback who won the game is in the hospital with his agent.
Leigh Steinberg: He looked at me and he said, “Leigh, where am I?” And I said, “Well, you’re in the hospital.” And he said, “Well, why am I here?” And I said, “Because you suffered a concussion today.” And he said, “Well, who did we play?” And I said, “The 49ers.” And he said, “Did we win?” “Yes, you won.” “Did I play well?” “Yes, you played well.” “Did— what does that— and so what’s that mean?” “It means you’re going to the Super Bowl.”
Mark Fainaru-Wada, co-author of “League of Denial:” Five minutes later, they’re sitting there, they’re continuing to hang out, and Aikman suddenly turns to Steinberg and says, “What am I doing here?” And the next thing you know, they are reliving this conversation they’d had five minutes earlier.
Leigh Steinberg: For a minute, I thought he was joking. And I went through the same sequence of answers again. And his face brightened and we celebrated again. Maybe 10 minutes passed, and he looked at me with the same puzzled expression and asked the same sequence of questions.
It terrified me to see how tender the bond was between sentient consciousness and potential dementia and confusion was.
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