ESPN’s Joe Buck and Troy Aikman have shared a booth for 25 years together, surpassing Pat Summerall and John Madden’s 22-season record. Over the years, the duo has always emphasized that they actually became friends beyond TV, as Aikman would say, “We had a lot in common,” while Buck highlighted exactly how: “I was a great athlete, he was a great athlete.” So, when ESPN locked in Joe Buck on a reported six-year deal worth more than $100 million, Troy Aikman naturally hoped his deal would be treated with “urgency.”

“I thought something would be done prior to the start of this season. I’ve never gone into the last year of a contract ever since I signed with the Dallas Cowboys. And so I thought that it would be done. It’s not. When it might get done, if it gets done, is anyone’s guess. And it’s really not something that I’m putting a lot of energy into.”

Since Aikman’s NFL days, the ESPN analyst is in the final year of the five-year deal he signed alongside Buck in 2022. However, the network that’s set to broadcast its first Super Bowl in February doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to extend Aikman to a brand new deal. And The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand believes that the network will wait until Super Bowl LXI or eventually let Aikman go after the 2026 season.

“I do believe that the plan as of now from ESPN is to wait until after the Super Bowl and then discuss a new deal or move on from Aikman,” said Marchand. “I think when you look at it, they went with Buck early. First off, the two have done a great job. I don’t think they’ve solidified that booth. I would say you can make a pretty good argument they’re the best duo in the game.”

Aikman’s existing deal will expire after the 2026 season. At the same time, this season marks the first time ESPN will host the Super Bowl with Buck and Aikman calling the big game to conclude the season. And while Buck is all set to announce the network’s next Super Bowl in 2031, Aikman’s future with ESPN remains uncertain.

The network brought the dynamic duo over from FOX ahead of the 2022 season, with Buck and Aikman being considered among the best in the business since joining ESPN. This is exactly why it’s hard to imagine ESPN letting Troy Aikman go after the season, with the thought of Aikman calling games alongside someone other than Buck being difficult to imagine.

Which naturally makes you wonder: If ESPN decides to part ways with Troy Aikman, what could be the Cowboys legend’s next destination? For now, nothing is concrete.

At the same time, FOX’s Greg Olsen and Amazon’s Kirk Herbstreit are also entering the final year of their respective deals. Meanwhile, veteran Al Michaels is also expected to announce his retirement at 81. Last but not least, Tony Romo’s future with CBS currently remains uncertain after his OWI arrest earlier.

That means that if ESPN parts ways with Troy Aikman, the Cowboys legend could hit the market as one of the most sought-after candidates for a broadcasting role. However, Aikman has confirmed that while his contract situation remains up in the air, he would still like to work with Joe Buck.

“How much of that is my decision, I guess is yet to be determined,” Aikman said. “Would I like to continue working with Joe Buck moving down the road? 100 percent.”

That said, the pair will call the 2026 season’s Monday Night Football, along with the network’s first Super Bowl next year. Whether that partnership will continue beyond the 2026 season remains to be seen.