As two icons of the sport, when Jimmy Johnson and Troy Aikman speak, it's worth lending a whole ear -- maybe two. Both were thrust into the NFL stratosphere thanks to their unbridled success together with the Dallas Cowboys in the early 1990s, winning two Super Bowls and creating a dynastic regime that came to a crashing halt when Johnson parted ways with owner Jerry Jones in tumultuous fashion, but what Johnson helped construct was so potent even Barry Switzer was able to ride its horsepower to a Super Bowl victory of his own following Johnson's departure in 1994. 

That said, it's safe to say Johnson knows what it takes to win in the NFL, which includes having suffered a 1-15 start to his NFL coaching career in Dallas. He's seen his fair share of adversity on a football field, and he thinks the reason the Cowboys have yet to turn the corner and win a sixth ring is as simple as it is complex. 

Approaching a tenth season under Jason Garrett -- who is now offensive coordinator for the New York Giants -- the Cowboys landed at 8-8 and out of of the playoffs after a 3-0 start to the season.

Why? Well, according to Johnson, it's because they weren't hungry enough. 

"I don't know why it didn't go better [in 2019]," Johnson said from Super Bowl Media Week in Miami, via Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "I watched them play a lot of times and they looked as good as anyone in the league, and they are very talented. But then I'd see some adversity happen, and they just went blasé. I think sometimes you gotta be able to grit your teeth and say, 'I'm gonna make it happen. Someway, somehow, I'm gonna make it happen.' 

"And you gotta have that inner drive to do it. At times, they didn't have that inner drive." 

As Johnson readies himself for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this August, joining Aikman, the latter has never pulled punches when it came time to critique all that went wrong in Garrett's regime (and each regime prior to it, following Johnson's and including Switzer's). With his former backup and longtime friend now in New York, Aikman turns his eyes to the hiring of Mike McCarthy in Dallas, and he's already impressed with the rebuilt coaching staff along with what McCarthy brings to the table. 

"Is McCarthy the answer? We're going to find out," Aikman said. "A lot of people hope he is. I'm a big fan of Mike."

"I keep saying that. I loved him when he was in Green Bay. ... I like his style. I like the way his teams were prepared, and his resume speaks for itself."

For Aikman, however, it's going to come down to just how much power McCarthy has. It's already clear owner Jerry Jones has granted McCarthy the power to build his staff the way he sees fit, and that's a great start for their new relationship. Having often criticized Jones for gripping the wheel too tightly, also fueled by the angst of losing Johnson in yesteryear, Aikman feels as long as this trend continues, playoff success will return to Dallas.

"I know [McCarthy has] been working on putting together a staff and -- I say it often -- I believe if he's allowed to go and run this team the way he did in Green Bay, I think he'll have success," Aikman said. "I don't think they could've hired a better coach."

A proven play-caller in his own right, McCarthy opted to not only retain Kellen Moore as offensive coordinator after an impressive rookie year in the role, but he's also allowing the 31-year-old to keep his duties as play-caller going forward. That's quite a testament to McCarthy's evolution and willingness to accept youthful, creative ideas, but Moore himself noted the offensive construct will be a collective effort.

Of that, Aikman has zero doubt.

"I was a little [surprised] when that was announced, because I know how much Mike likes calling the plays," he said. "We were covering him in Green Bay when he had given up play-calling, and then when he took it back, he said he would never give up play-calling again. I was surprised but I think, within that, it's a real compliment to Kellen Moore. 

"There's no way [though] -- knowing Mike the way that I do -- he's simply handing it to Kellen Moore and then he will no longer have a role in that offense. He's going to be in it, day in and day out. He'll be very active, of course, during the games and during the practices. Although Kellen will be calling the plays, Mike will have a heavy hand in it."

For the first time since Bill Parcells took over as Cowboys head coach in 2003, there's a tangible excitement married to the curiosity surrounding what's to come. 

Dak Prescott loves the hiring of McCarthy and is ready to go, which inches him closer and closer to finally agreeing to terms on a longterm extension. Coming off a career-best season, and with two-time NFL rushing champ in Ezekiel Elliott behind him, four-time Pro Bowl wideout Amari Cooper (who'll be either tagged or extended), their vaunted offensive line and other key pieces like breakout star Michael Gallup, a splashy tight end in Blake Jarwin and potentially the return of Pro Bowl wideout Randall Cobb -- there's no shortage of weapons to help the league's top 2019 offense improve over what they were.

There are certainly areas of improvement though, the most glaring being on the defensive side of the ball by way of defensive interior linemen and at safety. If they can revamp their draft strategy as promised, Aikman's prediction of a McCarthy-steered Cowboys team finding postseason success will come true, which would also mean the issue Johnson spotted in years past has all but faded away post-Garrett.

Locating your inner drive is one thing, but it's also about knowing when to change gears so you don't keep burning out your clutch.