Joe Buck, Troy Aikman TNF Broadcast Draws Awkward Vibes Chatter on Social Media

Joe Buck signed a six year extension with ESPN in 2026.

Joe Buck, Troy Aikman TNF Broadcast Draws Awkward Vibes Chatter on Social Media

Joe Buck and Troy Aikman on ESPN MNF coverage (Image via IMAGO/X)

A week after Troy Aikman and Joe Buck’s reported public fallout over contract talks, the two prominent commentators took their place inside the ESPN booth to call the 49ers-Commanders Week 6 game at Levi’s Stadium. Fans noticed some details about the pair.

Aikman joined ESPN in 2022 after leaving FOX Sports. The Hall of Fame quarterback signed a five-year, $80 million contract extension with ESPN (approximately $18 million/year). Aikman is in the final year of his contract.

According to The Athletic, Joe Buck signed a new six-year deal with ESPN that will keep him as the voice of the Monday Night Football booth through the network’s next Super Bowl. Buck is reportedly earning more than Aikman, while his career with the network remains in limbo.

RELATED
Micah Parsons Calls Mike Evans the “Derrick Henry of WRs”

There’s tension between Troy Aikman and Joe Buck

Aikman and Buck will call Super Bowl 61. They had a trial run in Week 5 when the Buffalo Bills played the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Aikman and Buck argued over the matter before going live.

Joe Buck, Troy Aikman TNF Broadcast Draws Awkward Vibes Chatter on Social Media
Troy Aikman (Image via IMAGO)

It ultimately de-escalated, and the two had a broadcast where viewers never would have realized anything was amiss. Buck “broke the ice” about the tension between him and his longtime colleague.

The pair returned to the booth in Week 6 to cover the Niners-Commanders game. The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov posted a clip from the show. Fans reacted to it in the comments.

Aikman’s latest appearance took place after the 3x Super Bowl winner clarified his stance on an extension with ESPN. He said in a radio interview ⁠with KTCK of Dallas on Thursday morning:

I’ll broadcast through this season, and I’ll be ⁠a free agent ⁠at ​the end of the year and kind of see what happens… I’m looking forward to whatever the rest of this season does hold, with the Super Bowl and all that, and where my next landing spot might be.

Aikman has earned praise for his commentary work from all corners. So, he should land another gig if he leaves ESPN.

Earlier in the year, CBS Sports cut ties with ex-Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo after police arrested him for DUI. Romo owned up to his mistake. CBS replaced Romo with Texans icon and former Defensive Player of the Year JJ Watt.

Also Read: