Troy Aikman became the latest NFL member to start pulling double duty as both a broadcaster and an executive, joining the Miami Dolphins front office earlier this year. While the NFL is content to let Aikman hold both roles at the same time, it will now come with some restrictions.
According to Front Office Sports, the NFL will be extending the same team-access restrictions to Aikman that it currently has on Tom Brady, who is both a broadcaster for FOX and a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. Incidentally, Brady will not face any changes to his restrictions either.
Speaking to Front Office Sports, NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy said that there have been no issues with Tom under its current restrictions and so the league is extending those same restrictions on Aikman. Those restrictions include no access to practice facilities or practices and interviews only allowed outside of team facilities.
"There have been no issues with Tom over the last two seasons,” McCarthy said. “It is up to the coaches and clubs what they share with him. If they share information they shouldn’t, then that’s on them. The same parameters that pertained to Tom last season will continue this year and also will apply to Troy.
“Both may attend production meetings virtually but will have no access to practice facilities or practices. They may conduct interviews outside team facilities with football personnel and players. They could conduct the interview at the team hotel in an area separate from other football personnel. They could broadcast games involving their own club.”
No Issues for Troy
Aikman certainly isn't going to be complaining about the changes. Just this week he said on the Dallas Dialogue podcast that he's spoken to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell personally and got the okay to hold both roles.
“I get it, and I’ve talked to the commissioner,” Aikman said. “He’s fine with what I’m doing and my role. But I think that anyone that’s behind a mic that’s calling a game, there’s a conflict of interest because you have relationships in this business.”
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Aikman assisted the Dolphins in their offseason hires of general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley. His role with the team does not have a formal title.
Meanwhile, Aikman heads into a contract year at ESPN.
