For 25 years, Troy Aikman and Joe Buck have been one of football broadcasting’s most familiar pairings. But their partnership has drawn public attention after Buck secured a lucrative ESPN extension while Aikman remained without a new deal. Now, with reports describing a heated confrontation between the two, speculation about Aikman’s future has taken another turn.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Fox Sports Radio host Jason Smith claimed the former Cowboys quarterback may be courting controversy on purpose to get ESPN into firing him. On Friday, Smith asserted that Aikman wants to leave the booth and predicted the network could replace him on Monday Night Football before the season is over.
“I feel like Troy Aikman is trying to get fired by ESPN. You’re not making these headlines if you care about broadcasting the rest of the year and Super Bowl. He wants out,” Smith posted on X. He added that “ESPN isn’t going to keep putting up with it and they’ll replace him on MNF in the next few weeks.”
Smith’s claim is based on the public headlines and the contract stalemate. No reports from sources inside ESPN or Aikman’s camp have confirmed it.
His prediction comes amid growing uncertainty around Aikman’s contract and his reportedly strained relationship with Buck. However, ESPN has made no announcement about removing him before the season ends.
The latest reporting from The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand has offered more detail about the fallout. Before the October 12 Bills-Rams game at SoFi Stadium, Aikman reportedly had a tense, hour-long meeting with ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro. Their discussion included whether Aikman and Buck could continue working together.
The two broadcasters reportedly had a heated exchange afterward. Buck reportedly told Aikman, “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.”
Buck signed a six-year, $108 million extension with ESPN, while Aikman’s five-year, $90 million contract runs through the end of this season. Marchand reported that ESPN has paused negotiations with Aikman until after Super Bowl LXI.
The network also reportedly believes there is enough depth in the NFL analyst market to find another lead commentator. However, ESPN does not currently have a replacement agreement in place.
Aikman has offered mixed signals about his future. During an appearance at a Dallas event with veteran journalist Peter King on Wednesday, he put the chances of returning to television next year at 50-50. Yet he also sounded eager to finish the current campaign, especially the Super Bowl.
“I’m excited about what the rest of this year holds, and I’m excited to finally get back into the booth for a Super Bowl,” Aikman said on Cowboys insider Mike Fisher’s YouTube show.
A possible move back to Dallas has also entered the conversation. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said this week that he could see Aikman taking on a more direct role with the franchise, adding that it was “very possible.” Additionally, Aikman has spoken positively about his consulting work with the Miami Dolphins last offseason.
For now, Smith’s suggestion of an imminent ESPN replacement remains an unconfirmed prediction. Aikman and Buck are still expected to call the network’s first Super Bowl on February 14, 2027. Whether they remain partners beyond that assignment is a much bigger question.