1. Troy Aikman; Sept. 24, 1989
Opponent: Washington Redskins
Final: Redskins 30, Cowboys 7
Stats: 6-21 (28.6%), 83 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT, 4.0 rating
Nobody would have guessed on the 24th day of September 1989 that Aikman, the draft’s top overall pick that year, was a future Hall of Famer who would lead the Cowboys to three Super Bowl titles just a handful of years later.
He lost his first 11 NFL starts, but perhaps none went quite as badly as his first-ever start at old Texas Stadium. He was sacked four times and threw two picks before being pulled in favor of backup—and 1989 first-round supplemental draft pick—Steve Walsh, who did no better in relief of Aikman (9-of-18 passing for 100 yards and two picks for a 27.3 rating).
Aside: With Walsh being made a supplemental first-round pick in 1989 and the Cowboys finishing with the NFL’s worst record at 1-15, the franchise spent two No. 1 overall picks on quarterbacks in the same offseason. Without its No. 1 pick in 1990, Dallas traded up with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where it would select future Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith 17th overall.