Joe Buck Agrees to $108 Million ESPN Extension
The deal significantly increases the "Monday Night Football" announcer's annual salary and could allow for a return to calling baseball.
Joe Buck has signed a six-year contract extension with ESPN valued at approximately $108 million, a move that elevates his annual salary and potentially opens the door for him to resume announcing Major League Baseball games.
The extension, reported by The Athletic, will raise Buck's yearly compensation from $15 million to $18 million. This new deal supersedes his current five-year, $75 million contract, which concludes at the end of the current NFL season.
Buck, 57, is a prominent figure in NFL broadcasting and is currently in his fifth season with ESPN after joining the network in March 2022. He and his broadcast partner, Troy Aikman, departed Fox, where they had worked together since 2002. Their 25-year partnership is recognized as the longest in broadcasting history, according to The Athletic.
Buck and Aikman are scheduled to call their first Super Bowl for ESPN/ABC in February. The new contract ensures Buck will continue to call games for the network through 2031, when ESPN/ABC is slated to again hold rights to the Super Bowl.
It remains uncertain if Aikman will still be with ESPN for the 2031 game, as his own five-year, $90 million contract also expires after this season, and he has not yet finalized a new agreement, The Athletic reported.
While Buck has focused primarily on NFL games since joining ESPN, his extension could allow him to return to calling baseball. He previously served as Fox's lead baseball announcer in addition to his NFL duties. ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro has expressed interest in acquiring World Series broadcast rights starting in 2029, and reportedly indicated to Buck his desire for him to announce the series if ESPN secures those rights, although no such clause is included in the current contract.
Buck's increased salary places him among ESPN's highest-paid personalities, though he is surpassed by Stephen A. Smith, who earns an estimated $21 million annually. Pat McAfee is also in negotiations with ESPN for a potential extension that could reportedly pay him around $65 million per year.