Troy Aikman’s uncertain future at ESPN has sports media personalities picking sides. In fact, three voices offered three very different takes on the Monday Night Football analyst’s contract standoff.
What We Know: ESPN signed Joe Buck to a six-year extension in September reportedly worth about $108 million. However, Aikman, Buck’s partner for 25 seasons, hasn’t received a formal offer. His five-year deal, signed in 2022, expires after this season. Aikman reportedly earns $18 million a year.
Aikman recently told 96.7/1310 The Ticket in Dallas he expects to become a free agent after the Super Bowl. He later told Jimmy Traina that ESPN seems to be heading in a different direction. Meanwhile, Front Office Sports reported that Buck and Aikman argued over the contract gap before a recent broadcast. ESPN says it won’t address talent contracts publicly until after the Super Bowl.
Former ESPN anchor Linda Cohn sided with Aikman on The Linda Cohn Show. She questioned why ESPN would leave half of its lead team in limbo before its first Super Bowl broadcast. In contrast, WFAN’s Craig Carton blasted Aikman on The Carton Show w/Chris McMonigle. Carton called Aikman selfish for failing to celebrate Buck’s new deal. He also suggested ESPN may simply value Aikman below his current salary.
Elsewhere, Rob Parker floated a replacement on The Odd Couple. He argued ESPN should hire Russell Wilson, who retired in June to join CBS’s The NFL Today. Notably, Wilson hasn’t appeared in any reporting about ESPN’s search. Instead, Puck’s John Ourand reports Greg Olsen is the likely choice.
What They Said: “Troy Aikman deserves to get paid, just like Joe Buck. But from the outside looking in, it doesn’t look good. It’s a bad look.” – Linda Cohn
“Maybe ESPN recognizes that you’re not worth $20 million a year. And you can’t be happy for the guy that sat next to you for 25 years?” – Craig Carton
“Russell Wilson should have that job. He checks all the freaking boxes. It’s time for ABC/ESPN to hire a brother in that job and give an opportunity to be representative of the league.” – Rob Parker
What Remains Unclear: So far, ESPN has not made Aikman an offer nor has the network expressed a desire to do so. Furthermore, the network hasn’t said whether salary is the sticking point. It’s also unclear whether rivals like CBS or Netflix would pursue him.
What It Means: For ESPN, the situation creates an awkward backdrop for its first Super Bowl in February. ESPN has locked up one half of its lead booth. The other is openly eyeing free agency. As a result, every Monday night broadcast now carries a subplot. Still, the debate highlights a bigger question for networks. How much is a familiar analyst really worth?
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