Troy Aikman’s ESPN future remains open
Troy Aikman remains ESPN’s lead Monday Night Football analyst during the final year of his five-year contract. No extension has been announced, and his current agreement runs through Super Bowl LXI in February 2027.
Aikman said he expected a new deal before the 2026 season began but had held no contract conversations with ESPN. His broadcasting future beyond the network’s first Super Bowl presentation, therefore, remains unresolved.
Troy Aikman’s deal is worth $90 million
Troy Aikman joined ESPN in 2022 on a five-year contract reportedly worth $90 million. The agreement pays about $18 million annually and is scheduled to conclude after Super Bowl LXI in February 2027.
The deal brought Aikman from Fox to Monday Night Football alongside longtime partner Joe Buck. Their move preserved a broadcasting relationship that had spanned 20 NFL seasons before they joined ESPN.
Joe Buck secures a $108 million extension
Joe Buck secured his ESPN future before Aikman by agreeing to a six-year extension worth about $108 million. The contract raises Buck’s annual compensation from roughly $15 million to approximately $18 million.
Buck’s new agreement runs through 2032 and includes ESPN’s first Super Bowl in February 2027. Aikman remains on his existing contract, creating different timelines for the two broadcasters despite their long partnership.
Troy Aikman expected an earlier agreement
Troy Aikman said he expected ESPN to complete a new agreement before the 2026 season started. He explained that he had never entered a contract’s final year since first signing with the Dallas Cowboys.
Aikman also said he was not putting much energy into the uncertainty and did not know when an agreement might happen. His comments indicated that negotiations had not resulted in a publicly announced extension.
Troy Aikman wants to stay with Joe Buck
Troy Aikman said that continuing to work alongside Joe Buck remains a factor in his future. He stated that he would like to keep working with Buck, whose new ESPN agreement extends their potential partnership beyond 2026.
The two broadcasters have shared an NFL booth since 2002, first at Fox and later at ESPN. Buck’s secured contract gives Aikman a familiar partner if both sides agree on another deal.
ESPN has not announced Aikman’s extension
ESPN has not announced an extension, departure, or replacement involving Troy Aikman. The network’s public 2026 materials continue to list him with Joe Buck, Lisa Salters, and Laura Rutledge on its lead team.
ESPN has also kept its public focus on the 2026 season and Super Bowl LXI. No official announcement has identified who would serve as the lead game analyst after Aikman’s current agreement ends.
Troy Aikman enters 25th season with Buck
Troy Aikman and Joe Buck began their 25th NFL season together in September 2026. Their partnership started at Fox in 2002 and has become the longest-running broadcasting tandem in league history.
They initially worked in a three-person booth with Cris Collinsworth before becoming a two-person team in 2005. Across 24 seasons, they called more than 400 regular-season games and over 40 playoff contests.
Troy Aikman gets seventh Super Bowl call
Troy Aikman is scheduled to call Super Bowl LXI with Joe Buck on February 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The assignment will be ESPN’s first Super Bowl production.
The game will be the seventh Super Bowl that Aikman and Buck have called together. Their first six championship assignments came at Fox before both broadcasters moved to ESPN for the 2022 season.
ESPN expands its NFL schedule in 2026
ESPN entered the 2026 season with its largest NFL game portfolio, featuring 28 games plus Super Bowl LXI. The schedule includes Monday Night Football, NFL Network broadcasts, and postseason coverage.
The expanded package also contains a Week 18 Saturday doubleheader, one Wild Card game, and one Divisional Round matchup. Aikman’s contract decision, therefore, comes during ESPN’s broadest NFL schedule to date.
Troy Aikman remains on ESPN’s lead team
Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters, and Laura Rutledge form ESPN’s lead Monday Night Football team for the 2026 season. The same group is scheduled to work the network’s main Super Bowl LXI broadcast.
Salters continues as the lead sideline reporter, while Rutledge adds reporting duties to the top crew. Aikman, therefore, remains part of ESPN’s primary game presentation throughout the final season of his current contract.
Fun fact: Aikman joined Fox’s NFL broadcasts in 2001 after retiring from the Dallas Cowboys. He moved to the network’s top booth with Buck and Cris Collinsworth for the 2002 season.
Troy Aikman has broadcast since 2001
Troy Aikman began broadcasting immediately after retiring from professional football, joining Fox for the 2001 season. He moved into the network’s lead NFL booth in 2002 and stayed there for two decades.
ESPN signed Aikman in March 2022, bringing him to Monday Night Football after his long Fox tenure. The move placed him on a major weekly package while keeping his established partnership with Buck.
Troy Aikman built a Hall of Fame career
Troy Aikman played 12 NFL seasons as quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys after becoming the first overall draft pick in 1989. He helped the franchise win Super Bowls XXVII, XXVIII, and XXX.
Aikman entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006, five years after starting his television career. His broadcasting work has since spanned more than two decades across Fox and ESPN.
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Troy Aikman’s next move remains undecided
Troy Aikman’s broadcasting destination after Super Bowl LXI remains undecided. No extension, departure, replacement, or move to another network has been publicly announced before the final months of his current ESPN agreement.
What is confirmed is limited to the existing timeline. Aikman remains scheduled to work ESPN’s February 2027 Super Bowl with Joe Buck, while any role beyond that game awaits a future announcement.
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Should Troy Aikman stay with ESPN and continue his long partnership with Joe Buck after his contract ends? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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