Troy Aikman Believes His Time at ESPN is Ending
The veteran broadcaster stated that he has had no contract extension talks with ESPN and anticipates the current season will be his last with the network.
Troy Aikman anticipates that his current season with ESPN will be his final one, as he has not engaged in any contract extension discussions with the network. Aikman expressed his belief that ESPN is preparing to move in a different direction.
"It just seems to be where they’re going — that they’re gonna go in a different direction because there’s been no talks, no contract negotiations," Aikman told Jimmy Traina. "We’re in a Super Bowl year. The Super Bowl is Feb. 14. My contract ends in March. It just doesn’t seem logical that if they were gonna keep me, something wouldn’t be in place before that."
Aikman and his broadcast partner, Joe Buck, have been the longest-tenured NFL broadcast pairing, marking 25 years together. Their time together is seemingly approaching its end with the upcoming Super Bowl in February 2027.
While ESPN recently extended Buck's contract for six years and approximately $108 million, the network has not extended a similar offer to Aikman, creating uncertainty about his future. The situation has reportedly led to tension, with the pair allegedly having an argument before a recent game. Aikman has since spoken about the situation in interviews, acknowledging his impending free agency.
"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 and the Super Bowl and all that and where my next landing spot may be," Aikman told a Dallas radio station, as transcribed by the Dallas Morning News. He further commented to Traina that he anticipates the remainder of the season will be fine and he is looking forward to it.
Previous reports indicated that ESPN intended to discuss a new contract with Aikman after the Super Bowl. However, the differing contract approaches for Aikman and Buck have fueled speculation about the network's intentions.
Aikman and Buck are scheduled to broadcast the upcoming game between the undefeated San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Commanders.