Overview
- The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reported that ESPN plans to wait until after the Super Bowl before deciding whether to re-sign or move on from Troy Aikman, a development published Thursday.
- Aikman is in the final year of his Seattle five-year deal and told reporters he expected a new agreement before the season and that he wants to continue working with Joe Buck.
- Joe Buck recently signed a reported six-year extension worth more than $100 million with ESPN, which locks down the network’s lead play-by-play voice while Aikman’s talks remain unresolved.
- Rising pay for analysts and several expiring contracts this season give ESPN clear alternatives—Greg Olsen is a leading internal candidate and the Mannings or other veterans have been floated—so the network can prioritize cost, chemistry, or new booth formats.
- The immediate outcome is that Buck and Aikman will call ESPN’s upcoming Super Bowl together, and the decision afterward could reshape Monday Night Football coverage and trigger a competitive market for Aikman if he becomes available.