Tension reported between Joe Buck and Troy Aikman amid ESPN contract negotiations

Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, who have called NFL games together for 25 years, are reportedly at odds over contract negotiations with ESPN. Buck recently signed a six-year extension that will keep him in the Monday Night Football booth through the network’s next Super Bowl, while Aikman has not yet been presented with a formal offer, according to sources.

The tension surfaced on Monday night before the Rams-Bills game at SoFi Stadium, where the two had a brief argument in the broadcast booth. The disagreement was later resolved, and the broadcast proceeded without any visible disruption for viewers.

An ESPN spokesperson declined to comment on the matter.

Both broadcasters were originally hired by ESPN in 2022 on five-year contracts after leaving Fox, a move that gave the network a highly regarded NFL commentary team. While Aikman was the first to finalize his deal, Buck joined later after Fox released him from the final year of his contract. The two are represented by the same agency, CAA, but have different individual agents.

Industry observers note that ESPN’s delay in finalizing Aikman’s contract could signal uncertainty about his future with the network. Should Aikman depart, potential replacements could include CBS’s top booth, which recently became available after the network’s split with Tony Romo, or other analysts currently working with ESPN’s secondary teams.

Beyond Monday Night Football, Buck has expanded his presence across Disney properties, including guest-hosting on Good Morning America, judging on a Super Bowl-themed episode of Dancing With the Stars, and hosting an ESPN Jeopardy special streamed on Hulu, Disney+ and the ESPN app.