Joe Buck recently signed a massive contract extension with ESPN to stay on as part of their Monday Night Football coverage, but it might be impacting his relationship with Troy Aikman.
Buck signed a $108 million contract extension with ESPN for an undisclosed number of years, thus ensuring he stays a part of the Disney-owned sports giant for the foreseeable future.
However, his extension has had a negative impact on his relationship with his broadcast partner, Troy Aikman, in recent weeks.
Joe Buck ‘broke the ice’ with Troy Aikman over tension stemming from $108 million contract
According to Front Office Sports, Troy Aikman and Joe Buck have been struggling outside of their professional duties to maintain a professional relationship in recent weeks.
The report suggests that Buck’s recent $108 million contract with the team has created a rift between the two commentators.
Front Office Sports’ Ryan Glasspiegel wrote: “There has been unspoken tension between the partners that one has a new contract while the other, Aikman, has not received a formal offer.
“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.”
Glasspiegel reached out to ESPN for a comment on this story, but their spokesperson declined to comment on the matter.
If this is the case, then ESPN are risking losing Aikman for nothing. Aikman is one of the most respected figures in NFL media, and losing him would be a huge blow to the sports media giant.
The fact that ESPN haven’t even begun negotiating with Aikman after securing Buck through a long-term deal is a huge red flag.
If ESPN don’t act quickly, they could lose Aikman to Fox Sports, CBS or another competitor, thus strengthening their respective NFL broadcast teams.
Read more: