Bill Simmons is enjoying the obvious tension inside ESPN’s Monday Night Football booth. In fact, he hopes Joe Buck and Troy Aikman stay together all season for his own personal entertainment.
What We Know: Simmons addressed the situation on a recent episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast. Meanwhile, Buck recently signed a six-year ESPN extension worth roughly $108 million. In contrast, Aikman’s five-year, $90 million deal expires after Super Bowl LXI on February 14. Additionally, the longtime partners reportedly argued in the booth before an October broadcast at SoFi Stadium. Since then, Aikman has been publica about looking forward while still working this season with ESPN and Buck. However, many fans have noticed a change in demeanor and tone with Aikman on the broadcasts.
What They Said: (All quotes via The Bill Simmons Podcast):
Bill Simmons wants Troy Aikman and Joe Buck to stay together the entire season on ESPN: “I love it. I want them to stay together and just be in mutual hatred.”
Bill Simmons on the mannerisms of Troy Aikman recently on Monday Night Football: “He [Troy Aikman] looks like somebody’s in his earpiece giving him the worst news possible about the stock market that day. Telling Troy that his crypto account got wiped out. I love it. I don’t want them to break up. Keep them together.”
What Remains Unclear: ESPN has not publicly addressed the tension or Aikman’s future with the network. Furthermore, Aikman has said he will finish the season and then become a free agent. According to several reports, Aikman felt “double-crossed” after ESPN extended Buck without a matching offer.
What It Means: For Simmons and others, the frosty mood in the broadcast booth has become must-watch television. However, ESPN faces a tougher reality. The network will potentially produce its first Super Bowl with a fractured booth. As a result, every Aikman glance toward Buck will draw scrutiny until February.
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