Troy Aikman knows what makes a good NFL analyst. During an August 2026 appearance on Your Dark Companion with Mike Rhyner, he said one of the most important skills is knowing when to stop talking. In his words, a good analyst should make their point without talking over the next play. Sounds like a good sports analyst! However, some are still questioning Aikman’s ability to keep a broadcast engaging. Among those critics, one is fired FOX analyst LeSean McCoy.
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“I don’t think [Troy Aikman] is that great on TV,” former FOX analyst LeSean McCoy revealed his honest opinion on the legendary quarterback on the September 7 episode of Speakeasy.
But that doesn’t mean McCoy dismissed the former star quarterback altogether. After all, Aikman has been leading ESPN’s Monday Night Football for the last few years.
“I think he’s just cool,” he said, before making another critical remark. “He just says what he sees. Nothing special. But when I look at his background check, I look at who he played with, when he played, the wins he had, the championships, the era with Jimmy Johnson, and all that, I would take him too. And you, with the brand of the cap, I would take you for that. It’s hard for me to push back because the resume checks the box.”
During his prime, Aikman spent 12 years in the NFL, and all of it was with the Dallas Cowboys. He played 165 games, completed 2,898 passes for 32,942 yards, and threw 165 touchdowns passes. Aikman further added 1,016 rushing yards and scored nine rushing touchdowns. His reign brought three Super Bowl wins to Dallas. Furthermore, Aikman was the MVP of Super Bowl XXVII. He has received the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor, Davey O’Brien Award, NFL Man of the Year (1997) honor, and a lot more.
As a broadcaster, Aikman brings his personal experience as a Super Bowl-winning quarterback to the analysis desk. After his persistent back issues forced him into retirement, Aikman joined FOX Sports’ NFC telecast as a color commentator in 2001. He even received an Emmy nomination for his broadcasting performance in 2004. And in 2022, he joined ESPN as the lead analyst for Monday Night Football.
Despite that, McCoy, who was fired by FOX in July 2025 due to low ratings for his Speak, Breakfast Ball, and The Facility programs, believes Aikman was hired because of the Cowboys brand.
Besides that, his opinion came just days after Cam Newton called out the league’s 2026 announcers lineup this week. Newton, an ESPN analyst, used his talk show 4th & 1 to highlight that the league’s announcers were all Caucasians.
“Is it the position you played? Is it your resume as a player?” Newton asked on his talk show. “Or is it just the likability? Because if we’re talking about how did Kirk Herbstreit get that deal? We know how Tom Brady got his deal. How does Tony Romo get his deal? We know how Troy Aikman got his deal. How does Cris Collinsworth get his deal? These are all mainstream color commentators that we see. We’re seeing these faces, as if to say Charles Davis is not capable…RGIII is not capable. Jonathan Vilma, is he capable? Jason McCourty, is he capable?”
“We’re talking about a sport that’s dominated by upwards of 75% minorities. But the people who are covering the sport to the world, giving color commentary, are Caucasians…There are more minority former players that are capable of holding their job similar to the guys who continue to get these jobs.”
Nevertheless, Aikman also acts as an advisor to the Miami Dolphins. He has navigated potential conflicts between his ESPN role and Dolphins advisory position. But during his appearance on Dallas Dialogue with Dale Hansen, he explained why his role as an advisor won’t affect his relationships with the Dolphins. He confirmed that the team isn’t really a good one this year. And they don’t even have a Monday Night game. Yet, even without a connection to the teams, sports broadcasting can create conflicts between the franchises and the commentators.
“Anyone behind a mic that’s calling a game, there’s a conflict of interest because you have relationships in this business,” Aikman explained. “I have friendships every week that I call a game, whether with a head coach or offensive coordinator or player or whoever it is… As long as you’re up front with the viewer and let them know the deal, they can take away from that whether you’re biased in your analysis.”
Aikman’s path from the gridiron to the broadcast booth has certainly paved the way for modern players to secure media contracts. He remains one of the most powerful voices in the football media. And as the 2026 season unfolds, Monday Night Football will certainly entertain the masses with Aikman in the central chair.