ESPN could face a broadcasting shake-up just months before its Super Bowl broadcast. Troy Aikman and Joe Buck worked together for years and even joined ESPN together after leaving FOX. But their fallout has now raised questions about their partnership.
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Just this week, The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reported that the two ESPN analysts had a tense confrontation before Week 5’s Monday Night Football. Aikman reportedly feels betrayed that Buck secured a contract extension without his knowledge. While Aikman is still expected to call Super Bowl LXI, the brewing friction has sparked chatter that ESPN could cut ties with him beforehand. According to Marchand, however, there remains only a slim chance of that happening.
“I’ll put that at 95% he does it, 5% he doesn’t,” Marchand said on The Varsity podcast. “Look, they’re professional, but it’s ugly. We’re not helping [by] talking about it. We’re not helping [by] writing about it…These things happen, and then maybe it shifts internally. They read an article in The Athletic, and they say, ‘Wait, why aren’t we just bringing these guys in a room and figuring it out?’”
According to Marchand, there is a 95% chance Aikman will still call Super Bowl alongside Buck. The remaining 5% has opened the door to the possibility that ESPN would have to find another replacement for its lead NFL analyst before the championship game.
The whole drama began when Joe Buck signed a six-year contract extension worth $108 million with ESPN without Aikman knowing. Aikman felt betrayed, and the situation led to a heated exchange during their Monday Night Football booth in October.
Buck confronted Aikman by asking, “You are not going to f—— talk to me? I’m not the reason you don’t have a contract.”
To which Aikman responded, “I just never thought you’d do it to me.”
The exchange affected their professional relationship. Now the network is scheduled to broadcast Super Bowl LXI on February 14, 2027, marking its first-ever Super Bowl broadcast. Having both Buck and Aikman in the booth will provide continuity for the network’s first championship broadcast, but Marchand believes that public discussions on this topic can make situations worse.
Marchand explained that the duo is professional but admitted that the situation is ugly. ESPN can still bring both together to solve their issues. But if the disagreement escalates internally, the network might have to think otherwise before February.
Aikman’s contract with ESPN is also reaching its end. He is expected to become a free agent after Super Bowl LXI, leaving his long-term future with the network uncertain. ESPN has delayed negotiations, which has added something new to the ongoing situation.
The fallout has also divided the fans. Some criticized Aikman for allowing the argument to affect his bond with Buck, while some believe Buck should have informed his partner about the contract. ESPN has also been scrutinized for the way it is handling the situation and how it has allowed a contract issue to become a public dispute.
If ESPN needs a replacement, Greg Olsen can be a great option, as he has been a respected analyst at FOX. And chances for Aikman to continue somewhere else are very low.
Awful Announcing reported, “In the weeks following the initial report about the rift between Buck and Aikman, CBS removed the interim label from J.J. Watt’s title and named him the network’s lead NFL analyst through the 2028 Super Bowl. Meanwhile, Kirk Herbstreit seems to be locked in with Prime Video, barring someone like Sean McVay leaving the sidelines for the booth.”
Buck and Aikman have to work together till Super Bowl LXI. But their relationship is under scrutiny, and Aikman’s contract situation is still unresolved. ESPN will need to make sure that the situation does not become a big chaos right before its historic broadcast.