Joe Buck admits it still feels strange at times to think of himself as ESPN’s lead NFL play-by-play voice instead of FOX’s. But according to him, the decision to make the move wasn’t as sudden as many might have thought. Appearing on the Pardon My Take podcast, Buck reflected on how the transition unfolded and why he believes it has ultimately made him better at his craft.
“Hard to believe. We’re in our fourth year now at ESPN,” Buck said. “I think they’ve progressively gotten better. I think it took a minute for us to be like, okay, we’re not at FOX anymore. We’re at ESPN. And I think that was really good for us.”
Buck and longtime broadcast partner Troy Aikman left FOX Sports in 2022 to become the centerpiece of ESPN’s Monday Night Football booth. While outsiders saw a seismic change, Buck explained the thought process was building long before the public announcement.
The 56-year-old broadcaster revealed he sought advice from David Hill. The former FOX Sports executive who helped establish the network’s sports division. Buck expected Hill to caution him against leaving a place where he had called the World Series, NFL playoffs, and some of the network’s biggest events.
Instead, the advice was the opposite.
“He said, ‘Go. It’s going to be the best thing for you, because it’s going to give you new jitters. It’s going to make you work with new people that might open your eyes up to something you haven’t done before,’” Buck recalled. “It was great advice, and I’m glad I did it. I do think it’s tweaked me a little bit to make me better than I was, let’s say, six years ago.”
That endorsement helped push Buck toward a decision he now says has reinvigorated his approach to broadcasting. He credits the change of scenery and new colleagues at ESPN with forcing him to adapt. Finding a fresh perspective on a job he had been doing at FOX for nearly three decades.
The move also reinforced the importance of his partnership with Aikman. The two had built one of the most recognizable broadcast duos in sports, and the ability to continue working together smoothed the transition from one network to another.
Looking back, Buck sees the risk of leaving behind familiarity and security as worthwhile. In his view, the decision wasn’t just about switching networks, but about challenging himself after decades of routine.
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