Joe Buck speaks out on simmering Troy Aikman-ESPN contract drama

Joe Buck said he’s “hopeful” that Troy Aikman and ESPN will reach a new deal after the play-by-play announcer signed a six-year contract extension with the Worldwide Leader earlier this month, worth more than $100 million, to continue in the booth on “Monday Night Football.”

During a phone interview on “Unfiltered with Ricky Bo and Bill Colarulo” on Philadelphia’s 97.5 The Fanatic on Monday, Buck was asked whether he had any updates on Aikman’s situation since the former Cowboys quarterback’s contract expires after this NFL season.

“I’m pretty well on record, having begged out of my last years at Fox to follow him to ESPN, where I stand on all that,” Buck said, referring to Fox letting him out of his contract a year early to team with Aikman at ESPN. “I legitimately love the guy like a brother. We’re basically the same age; I’m 57, he’s 59. We’ve both been through divorce. We’re both girl dads. Twenty-five years, you’re sharing a lot of life together. Forget games and in the booth and all that stuff.

Joe Buck and Troy Aikman look on prior to a game between the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Wild Card playoff game at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, Monday, January 16, 2023. Getty Images

“So, I hope so. I mean, both of us were up. It wasn’t like we were doing some national signing day where we walk in arm-in-arm and then sign contracts at the same time. So we’ve always kind of kept that stuff separate. I’m obviously hopeful, to say the least, that something gets done. But that’s kind of his world, and ESPN’s world, and I’ve got to kind of mind my own yard in that stuff. I think that’s the best way to be.”

Buck and Aikman have been broadcast partners for 25 years between their time at Fox and ESPN.

The pair will call Super Bowl 2027 in February on ESPN.

During a Sept. 20 interview on the “Sports Media with Richard Deitsch” podcast, Aikman explained that he thought he would’ve had a new contract done — and he hadn’t heard from ESPN at that point.

“Good for him for getting an extension,” Aikman said of Buck’s new deal. “Where I land on that, I don’t really don’t have an answer there. I don’t really know. I’ve had no conversation with anyone from Bristol as far as what this means for me.

“I will say that I came over [from Fox] in 2022 in large part to kind of help mend the relationship with ESPN and the NFL. And there were a lot of people that were involved in that, Joe [Buck] and others. But I’m real proud of that. I feel like the reason I was brought over, I fulfilled whatever obligations that they were expecting from me. I’m proud, and so much so the league now owns 10 percent of the network. I would say that the fence has been mended.

Fox Sports play-by-play announcer Joe Buck, left, and analyst Troy Aikman, right, in the broadcast booth before a preseason NFL football game between the Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars in Miami Gardens, Fla., on August. 22, 2019. AP

“… Beyond that, I’m gonna go out and do my job like I have each and every year — this is my 26th season in broadcasting — every year I’ve given it everything that I have, and I will continue to do that. I’m excited about this year. I’m excited to be calling another Super Bowl [in 2027]… Where it all lands when it’s all said and done, I’ll be interested as anybody anyone to see what that will look like.”

Aikman added that Buck’s extension will be a factor in navigating his broadcast future because of their work history and relationship.

“There’s no question that would factor into it — unfortunately or fortunately, how much of that is my decision is yet to be determined,” Aikman said. “Would I want to continue to work with Joe Buck moving down the road? 100 percent.”

“I thought something would be done prior to the start of this season. I’ve never gone into a last year of a contract ever — since I signed with the Dallas Cowboys — so I thought that it would be done. It’s not. When it might get done, if it gets done is anyone’s guess, and it’s just not something that I’m really putting a lot of energy into.”

Both Buck and Aikman — who called more than 300 games together for Fox — left the network for ESPN to step into the “Monday Night Football” booth in March 2022.