Troy Aikman’s Secret To Happiness With His Wife Catherine Mooty
Getting married to Catherine Mooty could have been a challenge for Troy Aikman. A Hall of Fame quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, it was his second marriage. What made things extra tricky for the couple was that both had children, so not only were they tying the knot, they were combining families. Using the lessons he learned on the football field and in the broadcast booth, Aikman has proved that any problem can be overcome with passion and love. Read on to learn more about his secret to marital bliss!
A Hall Of Fame Career
During the '90s, Troy Aikman was the starting QB for the Dallas Cowboys. In that decade, he was the player who led "America's Team" to three Super Bowl Championships. When he retired in 2001, he was a sure-fire Hall of Famer.
After retiring, Aikman started a career as a broadcaster, and today announces alongside Joe Buck for Fox. Throughout it all, the legendary Cowboy found love twice, marrying Rhonda Worthy in 2000, then Catherine Mooty in 2017 (Aikman and Worthy divorced in 2011).
Aikman Chose Football Over Baseball
As a young man, Troy Aikman had to make a tough decision - pursue a career in MLB, or shoot for the stars and try and make it in the NFL. His passion for football outweighed his love of baseball, and he never looked back.
After a successful career at UCLA, Aikman declared for the NFL Draft in 1989. The Dallas Cowboys took him the first overall pick in the draft, placing lofty expectations on the future Hall of Famer right away.
Retirement Turned Into Marriage
While playing for the Cowboys from 1989 until 2000, Troy Aikman met team publicist Rhonda Worthey and fell in love. Shortly after the 2000 season ended, the couple got married. In early 2001, Aikman announced his retirement from the NFL.
One year after getting married, the couple welcomed their first child into the world, Jordan Ashley Aikman. For Worthey, it was her second child, as she had been married once before and had given birth to Rachel Worthey.
Expanding The Family
Just one year after giving birth to Jordan Ashley Aikman, Rhonda Worthey gave birth to Alexa Marie Aikman, expanding the family. Now retired with two kids, Aikman decided to focus his time on being the best dad possible.
It wouldn't be too long until another major career opportunity presented itself, but for now, Aikman was happy just to be a dedicated husband and father. With everything seeming perfect, what exactly changed as the years passed?
Fighting To Stay Healthy
During his NFL career, Troy Aikman struggled to stay healthy. Despite numerous concussions and other various injuries, he always managed to find his way back onto the field. His leadership and resilience was a major reason the Cowboys won three Super Bowls in the '90s.
While many believed injuries would end his career early, Aikman ended up retiring as the Cowboys' all-time leader in passing yards. And those lessons he learned on the field, he let guide him in off-field life.
Aikman Won Many Awards During His NFL Career
Troy Aikman may have been questioned early for his injury issues, but his toughness shined through in the end. After winning the Super Bowl in 1993, Aikman was named the MVP of the game, solidifying his reputation around the league.
In 1997, Aikman was named the Walter Payton Man of the Year, a prestigious honor given to the player voted the most influential in their local community every year. By the end of his NFL career, Aikman was one of the most respected and well-liked players to ever play. At one point, GQ even praised him as "God's Quarterback."
A Back Injury Nearly Ended His Career
When GQ put Troy Aikman on the cover of the magazine and declared him "God's Quarterback," he was just 27 years old. Little did fans know at the time that Aikman was dealing with a major back issue that could have ended his career.
In an interview about the cover shoot, Aikman revealed, "When we were doing the shoot, I couldn't move… I was in back spasms. They propped me up against the wall."
A Series Of Injuries
Aikman's back issues began in 1993. Unfortunately, was just a sign of things to come. Until he retired in 2001, Aikman continued to have back issues, suffered various knee injuries, and endured multiple concussions.
Throughout it all, Aikman kept returning to the field. For 12 seasons he fought through the pain, knowing the risk was worth the reward. When he did decide to retire at 35-years-old, many analysts assumed his injury history played a big role, but did it?
Aikman Says He Got Too Old
For years, fans and analysts believed the reason Troy Aikman retired early was because of his injuries. He talked about his decision in 2016, revealing, "It's a brutal game. I consider myself to be one of the really, really fortunate ones, to have gotten out of the game as healthy as I did."
Aikman also revealed that he felt that while his body was still able to endure the brutality of the game, that it was really a young man's sport and he was simply too old.
His Proudest Achievement Isn't What You Think
Even though Troy Aikman won three Super Bowls, and was even named the MVP for one them, his proudest achievement has nothing to do with awards. Speaking with the Dallas News, he said:
"When I look back on my athletic career, I know the fans want to talk about the Super Bowls. And I'm proud of those. There's no question those are meaningful things. But what I'm most proud of is the friendships that I have to this day."
Aikman Almost Made A Comeback
Can you imagine Troy Aikman in a Miami Dolphins jersey? In 2004, it almost happened. With his body healed after a few years away from the game, Aikman considered making a comeback, and he was going to do it with the Dolphins.
For unknown reasons, the comeback attempt never fully materialized. With his career officially in the rearview, Aikman was able to stay focused on his fledgling broadcast career while also being a great father.
He Has Blunt Thoughts On Parenting
Once he was able to focus on being a father, Troy Aikman learned just how hard parenting is. He said, "As far back as I can remember I've always wanted to be a dad... It's tougher than any blindside blitz or anything you see on a football field."
As hard as parenting might have been, Aikman wasn't ready to become a stay-at-home dad after retiring. Instead, he signed a contract with Fox to joining the broadcasting booth.
Trouble In Paradise
Eleven years after marrying Rhonda Worthey, she and Troy Aikman divorced. The announcement came as a shock as the couple tended to keep their private life... private. After the divorce was finalized, Aikman released this statement:
"This has been a difficult decision for Rhonda and me, but after 10 years of marriage we have decided to separate. We remain deeply committed to our children and respectfully ask that you honor our family's privacy during this period of adjustment."
Not Following In His Father's Footsteps
Deciding what the best parenting style to take was, Aikman chose not to follow in his father's footsteps. Growing up, his father was also his football coach, giving the pair a unique father/son dynamic.
Speaking with GQ, Aikman said, "I coached the girls as an assistant coach in a couple of sports, and I was way too competitive for that... I knew my girls would see me in an entirely different light and I just didn't want that."
Fatherhood Comes First
Nothing is more important to Aikman's legacy then how people see him as a father. He knows many will remember him for his accomplishments on the field and in the booth, but that's not really what he cares about:
"...whether someone knows me as a Hall of Fame quarterback, a broadcaster. If when they are older, if they look back, and they say he was a great dad then I will have been successful."
Love Springs Anew
Five years passed after his divorce with everyone wondering if Troy Aikman would ever find love again. In 2016, pictures starting circulating of him and Catherine Mooty. One year later, he shared a picture of the couple, revealing they had gotten engaged.
Shortly after the shocking announcement, Aikman began building the couple a "hilltop home" at Highland Park. The new property was gorgeous, with the Hall of Famer sharing pictures on social media.
Mooty Had Kids Of Her Own
As if raising two kids wasn't hard enough, the new love of Aikman's life had two boys of her own. This obviously didn't stop Aikman from falling in love, and once again his family had expanded.
According to the couple, part of the reason their bond is so strong is that they both spent years as single parents before meeting each other. This relatable experience helped them instantly connect and form a chemistry they hope will last forever.
Raising Sons
Now married for the second time, Troy Aikman suddenly found himself a father of two young men. Before meeting Mooty and marrying her, he once said, "I don't have a 10-year-old son… If I did, I would not tell him he could not play football. But I don’t think I would encourage him to play football."
Would anything change now that he suddenly found himself as a stepdad in 2017? The answer might surprise you!
Keeping The Family Happy
To the press, it was clear that Aikman and Mooty were soul mates. The couple was always ecstatic to be around each other, especially with their kids. Because of this, some in the media began referring to the gang as a real-life Brady Bunch.
Troy had his own special name for his family, though. Whenever he shares a picture of his wife, two daughters, and two stepsons together on social media, he uses the hashtag "TeamSix."
Aikman Turned Into His Father
Troy Aikman might have had no interest in coaching his daughters, but his stepsons were a different story. He admitted once, "I'd reached out to different programs, including [Episcopal School of Dallas] where my kids go… But then I looked at my schedule with broadcasting, and it just hasn’t been easy to do."
When his stepsons said their coach was interested in him working in a part-time role as an assistant coach, the offer was too good to say "no" to.
The Secret Is In Balance
The secret to Troy Aikman and Catherine Mooty's perfect relationship is balance. They put their children above all else - attending every sporting event and being there whenever called upon. On top of this, they also make sure to make time for each other.
Not all families that come together the way the Aikman-Mootys have find the same happiness. For this couple, it helps to have the same outlook on marriage, parenting, and life.
Living Life To The Fullest
Making sure to keep the spark alive has not proven to be a challenge for this fun-loving couple. They speak the same "love language" and make sure to go on plenty of adventures together.
On their second anniversary, Aikman shared a picture with the caption, "I love you. I love us. I love our family. Happy anniversary to the [love] of my life!" They make love possible, even with all the challenges that could have gotten in their way.
