NFL Rumors: Who ESPN Wants To Pair With New Hire Troy Aikman

Troy Aikman will be working with a new network for the 2022 NFL season, but if ESPN has its way, the former NFL quarterback won’t be sharing a broadcast booth with a new partner.

Aikman reportedly is set to leave FOX and join ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” team. In a follow-up to his exclusive report about the shift, the New York Post’s Andrew Marchand revealed Aikman ultimately might not be the only talent who ESPN pries from its fellow television titan.

“(Joe) Buck is atop ESPN’s list to pair with Aikman, according to sources,” Marchand wrote. “The two had been a team at Fox for more than two decades.

“Buck has one more year on his Fox contract and it does not want to lose him, especially with two Super Bowls in the next three years. Money talks, though, and although Fox pays Buck plenty — $11 million a year to be its top NFL and MLB play-by-player — ESPN could try to blow Fox out of the water.”

Marchand noted how FOX does not need to grant Buck permission to speak with ESPN. But if the sides aren’t able to work something out, ESPN reportedly could zero in on Al Michaels. Michaels, according to Marchand, is on the “1-yard line” of an agreement with Amazon, with uncertainty over his potential partner serving as the hangup. For what it’s worth, Michaels reportedly wants to work with Aikman.

All told, NFL broadcasts are poised to look very different across the board next season.