Troy Aikman’s contract situation at ESPN appears to be causing some tension.
The legendary NFL quarterback turned broadcaster is on an expiring contract at ESPN, while his broadcasting partner, Joe Buck, recently signed a six-figure extension with the network.
Front Office Sports reported on Wednesday that there’s been some “tension” between Aikman and Buck.
“As Joe Buck and Troy Aikman prepare to call ESPN’s first Super Bowl, there has been tension between the 25-year booth partners over their respective contract talks, Front Office Sports has learned,” they reported.
“On Monday night, before the Rams took on the Bills at SoFi Stadium, the site of this season’s Super Bowl, Buck ‘broke the ice’ on this unspoken tension, and he and Aikman had an argument, a source said. It ultimately de-escalated, and the two had a broadcast in which viewers never would have been able to decipher that something was amiss.”
© Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
At this point, it would be far from shocking to see Aikman leaving ESPN at the end of the NFL season.
But who could replace him?
Five names have surfaced in speculation about Aikman’s potential replacement on the air at ESPN.
5 possible replacements for Aikman at ESPN
Five names that could replace Aikman at ESPN include:
- Greg Olsen
- Luke Kuechly
- Jason Kelce
- Pat McAfee
- Tony Romo
Olsen is likely the top choice for many, as he’s been the No. 2 guy at Fox Sports, since Tom Brady was hired.
“Among ESPN’s potential options, Greg Olsen called a Super Bowl for Fox while Tom Brady was taking a gap year between the NFL and working as an announcer, and is a looming free agent. Sean McVay will be highly sought after by multiple networks if he leaves the Rams. Jason Kelce and Kurt Warner have been working on ESPN’s second NFL broadcast team for international games on NFL Network,” FOS added.
Kuechly is under contract at Netflix, though it’s unclear if he could move to ESPN. Kelce and McAfee, meanwhile, have earned opportunity after opportunity at ESPN.
Romo would be a bold choice, given his exit at CBS, though he would certainly bring a lot of eyeballs.
